Goodbye, My Friend
by ShadowFoxMoon
Summary: YuYu X INU Yoko knew this would be a difficult job, yet what he did not predict was a fiery female guarding his treasure. That will not be a problem, all he has to do is swoon the woman and that jewel is as good as his... right? Yoko/Kag Hints of Sess/Kag
1. Failed Heist

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha

This entire story has been Beta-Read by Animeloveramy! My official **Beta Reader** for all of my stories! Yay~!

_**Story**_

It was a crisp and cool night. The air was deadly calm and the ground was covered in fog. It was the perfect condition for his plan to be put into action. He landed softly on the ground below, and then ran along the inside of the wall, undetected.

He had been planning this for months. This would be his most dangerous heist yet, but it would be worth it in the end. His target was inside the castle owned by one of the most powerful lords in the demon world. How it came into his possession, he did not know, but one thing was for certain, it was going to be _his _soon enough. But he had to be careful, one mistake and he'd surely be killed. His body started to heat up, feeling the thrill and excitement from such a dangerous job.

He paused, and waited within the shadows for the right moment. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes, to the lookout tower. Should be about time for them to switch- Now!

He dashed along the small field, going towards the castle. He jumped up, and landed onto a windowsill, just as the ground patrol walked passed. After the guard went by he looked up, locking onto his next target, a window several stories up. A dim light, no doubt from a candle, was flowing out of the window. He smirked. Just like he planned.

He gracefully jumped from one window ledge to the next, before landing softly on his target. He reached into his hair and pulled out a seed. It quickly sprouted into a thin vine, and snaked its way through the crack in the casement window. He smirked when he heard a small click, signaling it was unlocked. He gently pushed the window open, and then made his entrance.

He landed silently onto the wooden floor, inside the large room. He glanced around. Immediately his focus was centered unto the bed- More precisely, the person who was lying on it.

It was a woman. She was very attractive, even for his high standers. She had black hair and fair skin. He knew who she was, and had seen her many times, but he had never been this close to her, nor had he witnessed such a peaceful look upon her face. She was asleep, and he wanted to keep it that way.

When he noticed his target was not on her person, he quickly bypassed the woman, and glanced across the rest of the room. Seeing a pink jewel, resting on top of a dresser on the other side of the room, he smirked. This was too easy…

He started to calmly stroll over to the dresser, his eyes glued unto the necklace. He wasn't expecting it to be this simple. He had it planned up to this point, but he did not know what was going to happen, once he entered the room. The suspense kept him on edge, and made a chill of pleasure go down his spine. Yet he was only greeted by this? Don't get him wrong, he was glad she was asleep; if she was awake he would probably have been killed. He knew his limits, and the woman far surpassed him in strength.

Her powers are unknown, even to him. All he knew was that she could turn any demon into ash with just a touch. That kind of power was unheard of. He hadn't believed it until he witnessed it with his own eyes, while he was observing their security for all those months.

But soon his prize will be within his grasp and he could leave, alive. Though he was hoping for a small challenge- His ears perked up, hearing a small nose behind him. He quickly turned around, only to curse inside his head. The bed was empty- It was a trap! He moved his body back towards his goal, bent on quickly stealing it and taking off. He sighed when he was met with a sword gently jabbing his chest, halting his movements. It seemed he had been caught…

"What have we here?" She questioned, smirking. She moved her katana, and softly placed the tip underneath his chin, forcing him to tilt his head up. "A sly fox who has ventured a little to far from his den, hmm?"

"Yes. It seems I have gotten lost." He smirked, looking down at her. She found his reply rather amusing, and gave a small laugh.

"Sure you weren't after this?" She held up her other hand, the jewel dangling from the thin chain entangled within her fingers.

"I wouldn't dream of it." He defended himself.

"Oh?" She questioned. "Then I am mistaken when I recall you have been watching us this whole time, just outside our borders?" He froze when he heard her words. She knew? Though he was surprised, he did not show it and kept his cool.

"You must be."

"Oh really?" She sounded even more amused then before. "Well, I am sorry I have misjudged you." She lowered her weapon, and he stood there, slightly confused by her actions. "Well then fox, I'm sure you know your way out." She pulled the jewel over her head, and it rested softly below her collar bone. She was letting him go? "Hopefully you won't get lost on you way there as well?" She gave a small laugh.

He could only smirk as he watched her walk passed him, going to her bed. The smell of vanilla wafted into his nose and he sighed. A lovely sent. To bad it was attached to the one thing standing between him and his prize. Then again, this was the kind of challenge he was looking for. He stepped in front of her, making her stop in her tracks. She looked at him questioningly. He gently reached out and placed his fingers underneath her chin, tilting her head up like she did to him.

"I'll be back." He warned her.

"I'll be waiting." She smirked, and he flinched slightly.

He slowly pulled his hand away, placing his fingers up to his lips. He licked the burnt tips, and then gave her a smirk of his own.


	2. Ball Room Introductions

Yoko was sitting upon a tree branch, pondering. He wasn't sure if he should be amused, flattered, or upset about the situation with his last heist. His plan failed, and he couldn't steal the jewel. He was upset with himself for falling into the woman's simple trap. How did he not notice she was awake? Then again, she let him go, which was not a very good idea because, of course, he would only come back; going after his prize once more. This gave him a good challenge, and he needed something like this to entertain him. Even though the jewel itself was valuable enough to peak his interest. It was his favorite kind of treasure to hunt. Ancient and powerful artifacts.

He first heard of the jewel several years ago. He was instantly drawn to the legend it held, and quickly hunted it down. Yet he found it was guarded by a woman who lived in one of the most powerful lord's castle. Of course he wouldn't come near such a dangerous area, so he left it at that. But years later he grew even more skilled, and soon got bored of all the regular jobs. So he decided to try it, out of sheer curiosity.

Of course he learned what he could about the castle and the lord, but found nothing he didn't already know. He was cold, calm, collected, and very powerful. Sounded much like himself, only one thing was different, the woman. She added to his already mighty skills. She was known to be his bodyguard, and shadow. She protected him from any threat, be it verbal or physical. She would go wherever he was present. Be it conferences, visiting other lords, or even large gatherings- Like today.

He was perched on top of a tree, watching the castle with interest. He had been waiting for a while and had seen many demons enter the stone structure, going into the large ball room area. He believed this would be a good chance to go in and have another shot at stealing the jewel. After that night the woman kept it with her at all times, around her neck, so getting close and personal was the only way he was going to get his prize. But of course, he was not invited to the party. He smirked. Then again, he didn't have to be...

His nose twitched when he smelt a familiar vanilla sent. He smiled and watched as his target walked out of the tree line, headed for the castle. They didn't use a carriage? He almost chuckled at the thought. Maybe they were not as prissy as the other high-class demons? This fact peaked his interest yet again. His eyes glued to her neck, but he did not see the jewel. Though he did not see it, he knew it was with her, he could feel it. Must be hiding underneath her dress...

She was wearing a dress? He finally took in her appearance, and chuckled, not finding the outfit to be particularly unlikable. It looked rather good on her. He grinned, watching his target closely as she walked inside the castle, beside her lord.

Kagome resisted the urge to sigh in boredom as she stood beside her lord. He was sitting in one of the royal chairs which over looked the entire ball room. Though they were still on the ball room floor, she could not enjoy herself. She had to be careful not to let her guard down. She knew they wouldn't be dumb enough to do anything, but that didn't mean the demons weren't crazy and wouldn't try if there was an opening. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she resisted another sigh. It was so boring. All the gatherings, meetings, and visits were this way. The demons knew how to kill one another, but they couldn't throw a descent party if their life depended on it. Then again, this was a lord's party, not like you would expect a D.J or lasers around the dance floor.

The conversations the lords had with each other weren't helping either. The only time she ever had fun in these events was when they said something disrespectful and she got to kick their asses. And right now is a time she wished they would get angry and say something- Damn, she was so bored! A cold voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Kagome, you should take a break." He ordered more then suggested. "I shall call you if I need assistance." She smiled to herself. He always knew her best, didn't he?

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru." She bowed to him, before taking his hint and walking to the dance floor.

When she got onto the floor, she wasn't expecting it to be as boring as it looked. No one would dance with her- Not that she wanted to dance or anything- But it would be nice to have someone at least ask! Instead, the moment they saw her coming they would dart out of the way, keeping their distance from her. Must be because of her reputation for the 'demonic touch'. She almost snorted at the idea. Who thought of that name? Really- 'demonic touch' what the hell...

It was as far away from 'demonic' as it could be. That's why it had such effects against their demon blood. Though she should be grateful that they did not know who or what she was. If they did, there would be a full out war, or wide spread panic across the whole planet. They just figured her powers to be one of a kind, and even went as far as to say she was a rare type of demon, the only one left in existence. They never would have guessed she was actually human, no demon ever did. Her powerful skills practically fizzled out any assumption she was, and the fact that she kept her human aura on the down low.

Kagome sighed, walking out of the ball room and onto the outside balcony. She placed her arms unto the railing and rested her head upon them. Well, it was a lot better then inside that stuffy atmosphere, that's for sure. Yet the soft music could still be herd in the background- She sighed again. To bad nothing exciting ever happened on these stupid trips...

"May I have this dance?" A deep voice spoke behind her. She slowly stood up and turned around, only to face a familiar thief.

"Well, well, if it isn't the fox." She smiled. "Wasn't expecting to see you here."

"That's part of the plan." He reached out and extended his hand.

"Hmm..." She looked at it questionably.

"I won't bite." He smirked.

"But I will." She warned him.

"I am willing to take the risk."

"You are not afraid of my touch?"

"I have touched you before." He stated. "If you wished to kill me, you would have done so already."

She couldn't help but give a small laugh at his excellent observation. He was quite smart. Of course he was, he had to be if he got past the guards at the castle. Good thing she didn't fry him the moment he appeared- She had a feeling he was going to be a great source of entertainment during these boring and dull days in the castle. She smiled and placed her hand unto his. He smirked and pulled her close. She placed her hand onto his shoulder, and he placed his onto her waist. They started to dance around the balcony, going in rhythm with the soft music around them.

"You are quite the dancer." She stated.

"I am many things."

"Oh?" She laughed softly, amused. "A fox of many talents?"

"You do not know the half of it, milady."

"Please." She smiled. "Call me Kagome."

"Kagome." He tested the word as it rolled off of his tongue, and he smirked. "It suits you well."

"Do not try to flirt with me fox. I am not so easily swayed."

"It seems I have been caught with my hands red." He chuckled.

"And you will leave with more then your hurt pride, if you keep this up."

"I am looking forward to your reactions to my wonderful charm."

"You wish to get the jewel by wining me over?" She laughed at the idea.

"My plans have never failed."

"Except the other night..." She stated.

"I do not count that as a failure. I just need to try a new approach to this puzzling challenge."

"And you start off by exposing your plan?"

"It does not matter whether you know my strategy or not. You will fall for me either way."

"I have my doubts..." She laughed softly. He was more amusing then she first thought.

"You are not affected by my dazzling charm?"

"No, not really, no."

"Well." He slowly dipped her, and gently pressed his nose against hers. "I may have to put forth a little more effort then..." He whispered.

"Good luck." She whispered back, earning a sly grin from the fox.

"There's the intruder- Get him!" A voice yelled over top of the music. He sighed and pulled her back up into standing position.

"It seems our meeting must be cut short."

"I guess so..."

"Kagome." He called her name, making her look into his golden orbs. "We shall see each other soon." He sealed the promise with a soft kiss on the back of her hand.

"I look forward to your next visit, fox."

"Please, call me Yoko." She could feel him smirking, his fangs grazing her skin.

He jumped back and landed gracefully unto the railing of the balcony. He gave a small bow, and she smiled. He jumped back, and off of the railing just as the guards finally got through the panicky crowd, running past her. They cursed before turning towards her.

"You alright Lady Kagome?" One of the guards asked.

"I'm quite capable of taking care of myself, soldier." She smirked when they stuttered, trying to apologize. "Do not stand there like flapping fish, he is getting away." She stated. They bowed, and quickly ran to catch the retreating thief. She laughed, finding the whole scene amusing. "Yoko..." She leaned against the railing and sighed.

Maybe there was more to this thief then she gave him credit for. She smiled, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. One thing was for certain, he would no doubt put some spark back into up her dull life...


	3. Patrolling The Area

Kagome stared at the ceiling, bored. Nothing different from any normal day, really. She sighed and rolled unto her side. Why hadn't her entertainment showed up yet! It had been over a week and he hadn't shown his foxy butt all this time! Ugh- Look at her, she was practically wishing for him to show his slick face! But dammit, she wanted some entertainment! This was so frustrating. She quickly sat up and left her room, slamming the door in the process.

She stood in front of a familiar wooden door. Slowly she raised her hand and gave a few gentle taps onto its dense exterior.

"Enter." A cold voice commanded. She opened the door and walked into the room, before closing the door behind her.

"Sesshomaru." She greeted him, before smiling softly and walking up to his desk.

"What do you want, Kagome?" He asked, obviously busy with some kind of file he was looking over.

"Entertain me." She ordered. He paused in his reading and raised a delicate eyebrow in her direction. He then ignored her and continued his paperwork. "You're no fun." Yet, she wasn't surprised.

She sighed and moved around his desk, before sitting upon the expensive wooden furniture. She looked over his arm and unto the paper he was so focused on reading. It had a lot of information, showing the status and conditions of the land as it was ruled over by the powers of the three kings.

"If you are so concerned about the pit they are digging themselves, why don't you just go in and settle it?" She asked.

"It is not my business to interfere in such foolishness. They are fighting among themselves, and it is none my concern whether they wish to kill each other or not."

"So you are just going to let things stay the way they are?"

"I do not wish to fraternize myself with idiots." He stated.

She laughed softly. Just like him to say such things. Of course, she wouldn't be around him if he didn't have such an amusing personality- When you got past the cold exterior.

She followed him because he was quite entertaining, even if he did not mean to be. She also found his cold replies and calming attitude to be very soothing and relaxing. Just being near him made her feel happy and calm.

She protected him though he did not need protection. It was mostly just a cover-up so she could spend time with him. That and she needed a reason for being acquainted with him. A bodyguard was the best thing she could come up with and the demons didn't question it, once they saw her strength.

She even thought herself as a good friend of his. He was the one person she really trusted after all these years. Of course there were others, but who was the person she was staying with? Him. Not the others. Not her son, not Koga, and defiantly not Inuyasha. They would visit every now and then, but they lived their own lives now and she was not a part of it.

She no longer clung to people for protection or support. She was no longer weak. She also was no longer free…She chose to live beside Sesshomaru till the day came when she could be free- Free of her duties, free of her pain, and free of the damned jewel.

She smiled softly as she looked upon the demon lord's face. Just being near him made her feel better, even when she thought of such depressing things.

"Are you busy today?" She asked.

"Are you asking me out?" A small smirk graced his handsome face, as he was looking over the charts and graphs.

"Maybe." She shrugged. "Depends on your answer."

"I am busy. Go bother Jaken with your foolishness." Did he just tell her to go out with Jaken! Eww…

"It's not foolish." She defended.

"Then what do you suggest I call it?" He turned his head, looking at her. She could tell he was amused, and she smiled.

"A date." She stated.

"I am in no mood to entertain you with your strange human courtships."

"But I'm bored Sesshomaru."

"Then go patrol the area."

"I don't wanna patrol the area." She wined.

"I order you to patrol the area." Leaving no room for argument.

"You're no fun." She sighed in defeat and he gave a rare chuckle. She smiled and wave to him over her shoulder, as she headed to the door.

"See you when you return, Kagome." He sent her a few parting words. She rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her.

Yoko sat upon another tree branch, thinking. He sighed, wondering when she was ever going to leave the castle. It had been a week already and he hadn't tried to make contact with her yet. He decided he was not going to be the one to go to her, this time she was going to come to him and when she did he would be waiting to steal the jewel.

But it seemed his luck had not been the best when it came to this woman. She rarely left the castle, and it didn't look like she was going to anytime soon. Did his plan fail once again? No- He would not admit defeat to this woman, not again. She was strong, but he would outwit her with his cunning tactics and sly skills. Yet he felt divided when he thought of the woman. She reacted to his flirting as if it did not affect her, and then she easily replied to his remarks with witty comments of her own. Maybe there was something more to her then just strength and beauty?

How did she come into position of the jewel in the first place? Why did she guard it so protectively? What did she have to gain for keeping an artifact such as that? It could not be because she simply thought it was 'pretty'. Did she know what the jewel could do? Maybe she wanted to use it for herself? What if she was already using it? That would be a good explanation for her incredible strength, but, if his information was correct, which it always was, the jewel could only grant power to the user if it was inside the body in someway. Did that mean her power was not granted by the jewel? If so- He was going to have a more difficult time stealing it then he first thought.

His nose twitched, detecting a familiar vanilla sent. Well, what do you know, she actually left the castle. He slowly opened his eyes and watched the female walking into the forest, where he was hiding himself. It seemed she had come out of her seclusion, like he planned she would. Now, what was he going to do with this new information? He could try and win her over again or- He smirked and reached into his hair. He could attack her while she was alone.

He felt nothing for the female. He only thought of her as an obstacle that was in the way of his treasure, that's all. He would not feel guilty for killing her, nor attacking her when she had her guard down. After all, he was a thief, and he felt no remorse for such selfish deeds. He had done worse over his long life. Plus, he felt she deserved punishment for letting her guard down, and it was only fair that he should be the one to give it to her.

He placed his demonic energy into the seed and it started to sprout, feeding upon it. He dropped the seed and quickly disappeared from sight, before it landed. A soft tap sounded in his ears as the seed hit the dirt floor. His ears perked up in excitement as he waited, to see what the woman would do. He watched carefully as she stopped in her tracks before looking into the tree, trying to seeing where it fell from. He smirked, staring at her from a different position, undetected.

Suddenly the sprout sprung to life, and the Venus emerged from the tiny seed. She raised a delicate eyebrow at the plant creature, which easily towered over her smaller form. It gave a screech and lunged for her. He was amused that she did not move to dodge the attack, but he soon found out why. The plant hit a pink barrier that surrounded her, and it instantly turned into dust. His golden orbs widened a fraction. She turned it into ash without even touching it- How? Did she mix her energy into the barrier? That was the only explanation. She was a lot stronger then he gave her credit for.

But then, how did she turn it into ash? It was not a demon, per say. Did her power use extreme heat to kill her opponents? No, she had killed fire apparitions before. Maybe her powers have to do with demon energy? If that was true then-

"Hello Yoko." A soft voice whispered against his ear. His eyes widened, surprised by the sudden interruption. He turned his head, seeing she was standing beside him on the branch.

"It is a pleasure to see you again. You are looking as radiant as ever." He bowed, reaching for her hand. He brought it to his lips and laid a soft kiss upon her knuckles. He flinched when he felt a shock against his sensitive skin.

"Cut the crap fox. I know it was you who did that." She told him, pulling her hand away. He smirked and licked his burnt lips, trying to sooth the pain.

"It seems I have upset you."

"You're not supposed to attack the one you're trying to woo. That's a turn off."

"I was just merely testing your powers, out of curiosity." He defended.

"Curiosity or not that was uncalled for." She poked him in the chest, and he chuckled.

"You're quite delicious looking when you're angry." He complimented her, while giving her a sly smirk. She rolled her eyes, not swayed by his good looks. He was unnerved by this. He gently cupped her chin, raising her head. He bent down and placed his nose next to her exposed neck, inhaling her intoxicating sent. "I bet you will be even more delicious when I tame that fiery spirit of yours." He whispered against her skin, earning a small shiver from the female. He smirked in satisfaction. So even_ she_ felt pleasure from his touch. That was good. It meant that he had a higher chance of winning her over, and getting his prize faster then he first calculated.

"You wish." She turned her head and bit his ear. He gave a small yelp in pain and pulled away from her. He reached up, rubbing his sore and injured ear.

"That was uncalled for."

"I only wanted to test you, out of curiosity." He smirked at her reply. It was pay back for attacking her- "You do not seem effected by my shocks, not in the way I wish you to be, so I gave you a different sort of pain." She smirked. "And it seems you are quite cute when you yelp like that. Just like a puppy..."

"I am no dog." He objected, still rubbing his ear. She rolled her eyes before standing on the balls of her feet, grabbing his ear. "What are you-" He tried to pull away but her grip was strong, making him wince.

"Stop struggling or you'll make it hurt more."

"This coming from the one who inflected my pain."

"You should be happy you're still alive after that stunt you pulled..." She mumbled. He sighed but then froze when he felt a warm sensation flow through him. He closed his eyes, enjoying himself as his ear started to tingle in pleasure. "There..." She whispered, removing her hand from his ear. "It's healed. Now stop bickering." She was about to step away from him, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her, and nuzzled his nose in her silky raven tresses.

"Who knew you had such a gentle touch..." He mumbled against her hair. "I believe I am falling for you." He whispered.

He mentally smirked when he felt the heat from her reddened cheeks. Maybe she was not as cold as he first believed? Just like any normal woman, she fell for the simple words of love. That treasure was as good as his- A loud crack echoed throughout the calm forest. Then again-

"Don't touch me, you damned fox." She huffed, and jumped off of the branch, going back towards the castle.

He reached up and rubbed his sore cheek. He smirked. It seemed she would be more challenging to tame then he first thought...


	4. A Start

Kagome stared at the ceiling. It was another normal and boring day, like usual. She sighed and rolled on her side, closing her eyes. She was so bored she even wished Sesshomaru had to go into a meeting- That was as rock bottom as it got. Time slowly passed by as she watched the inside of her eyelids carefully.

Feeling a prickle in her senses she smiled to herself. Well what do you know, it was the fox. Perfect timing. She pretended to be asleep, and waited while his energy slowly crept its way toward her. Just as his form practically overlapped hers she decided to speak.

"You should know better, fox. I am not asleep." She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him over her shoulder.

"It seems I will just have to move more quietly next time." He warned her, a sly grin graced his handsome face.

More quietly? But she didn't even hear him- If she wasn't able to feel his energy, she would have been just another victim long ago. He was rather good at what he did, but she was no ordinary person, thus making his job a lot harder then he ever would have imagined. Then again, if she was a demon she might have heard him coming- but she doubted it.

"What is it you want, fox?" She immediately questioned him.

"Only to bask in your lovely beauty." He told her. She rolled her eyes, and turned unto her back, so she could look at him without breaking her neck.

"Why do I doubt that?" She smirked, closing her eyes again. After a few silent moments she realized she wasn't going to receive an answer, so she opened her eyes again. She was greeted with a red rose staring at her. She rose and eyebrow at it.

"It is a gift. It is believed, normal people use them to show the other person they care."

"I'm not normal." She stated, and slowly lifted herself off of the bed.

"You do not like it?" He asked. She smiled softly, finally taking the small rose out of his hand.

"It's a start." She told him. Looking at the rose held within her hand she sighed.

It was very beautiful. Its red color seemed much brighter then any other rose she has ever seen. Its petals were full of life, and its leaves were a nice shade of emerald green. It was a little to perfect, if you asked her…

She placed some of her miko energy into the flower and it instantly turned into ash, crumbling unto the floor. Only a charred piece of the stem was left of the once beautiful rose. She sighed in disappointment. That's too bad. It was rather lovely to look at…

"You should not give fake gifts to the one you are trying to please." She gave him some advice.

"It was not fake." He objected.

"You used your demon energy to feed it, making it grow into what it was." She stated. "That's fake to me." She stood up and poked him in the chest, gently pushing him back. "If you wish to win a woman's heart, start by giving her a real flower. Do not give her some fake imitation, just because you didn't feel like wasting your time, or effort, on actually picking one."

"It seems that, once again, I have upset you." He grabbed her hand, and placed it to his lips. She could feel his fangs grazing her skin as he smirked.

"Leave, before you end up like your rose." She warned him.

"As you wish." He gave her a soft nod of his head, before quickly leaving out of her open window.

She watched the window for several moments before looking at her hand. She stared at the burnt stem and sighed. She wished to keep it, but she knew she couldn't. No doubt his aim was to trick her into keeping it, and later on at night, manipulate the plant while she was asleep. A good way to do his handy work from the inside.

It's too bad his beauty was only skin deep…

Kagome sighed as she carefully watched the inside of her eyelids. It had been several weeks and she had not heard from the fox yet. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed him away like that? She snorted at her own comment. He deserved it. Trying to use a gift to slither his way into stealing the jewel. Though she was sad he had not returned yet, she still needed some entertainment for these long and dull days.

She found his sly attitude and cold demeanor to be rather refreshing. He reminded her much of Sesshomaru, except he wasn't so conniving and slick. If Sesshomaru wanted something, he was the type of demon to walk up to the person who had it and fight for it. He had honor and would openly voice his warning before he attacked, fighting the person one on one. Yet the fox was different.

He enjoyed stealing things out from under their noses, while facing high stakes and risky traps. He did not give any warning and just did what he pleased. He did not show any real honor, that she knew of, and he manipulated plants instead of using a sword. Though they looked similar, the same hair sliver hair, piercing golden orbs, and white colored outfits, they were completely different.

She resisted the urge to snort as a familiar half demon popped into her mind. Who could forget him? He was a lot stranger then the other two, that's for sure. No doubt in her mind they are nothing like him, except the eyes and hair. She had to wonder though: How was he doing? He has not visited for a while- A small prick at her senses stopped her musings. She smirked. It was the fox again. About time- She frowned when his energy suddenly vanished as quickly as it appeared.

She opened her eyes and sat up. She looked around, but did not see the sly trickster. She got to her feet, and slowly walked to the window. She looked out unto the field and did not see anything. She glanced down and tilted her head, seeing something placed unto the windowsill. She opened the window, and took the small object. She placed her miko energy into it but it did not turn into dust. This one was real…

Her eyes softened as she looked upon the stunning rose. Its dark blue petals matched her eyes very well and its deep green leaves only added to its beauty. She smiled to herself and placed the rose under her nose. She inhaled its wonderful sent and sighed. Smelled just like him…

She looked out the window and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"It's a start…"


	5. Caught

Yoko smiled. Admiring his own footwork as he easily scaled the large castle and snaked his way into the open window. Now was a good time to visit his favorite target. He paused as he looked around the room, not finding her. It seems she was not in her room, like he thought.

"Doesn't matter." He figured it was better this way.

Maybe she was careless and left her treasure behind? He looked around, but found nothing. It did not surprise him though. He was just reaching for lost hope, that's all. Then again, he was glad she did not leave it behind. He did not wish to get his prize in that fashion. He found her presence to be rather interesting and her smart replies kept him on his toes. He did not want the game of cat and mouse to end with such disappointing results.

Something caught his attention and he paused. The room was calm as he stared at the object. He slowly strolled over to the dresser, and looked upon it. She kept it all this time? He reached out and touched its blue petals. He gently ran his thumb across it, getting a good feel of its texture. It seemed she had taken very good care of it as well…

She had it stationed on her dresser, where she would normal place her valuable necklace. It was inside of a dark blue vase, just big enough for one flower. He had given it to her two weeks ago and yet it still looked as good as it did when he first picked it. How had she kept it alive for so long was a mystery to him. A small smile graced his handsome face as he looked upon the rose.

A mystery; just like her. He picked up the rose and inspected it more closely. She was an enigma. That is why he chose this flower in the first place. A blue rose was supposed to mean mystery, and he thought it fit her perfectly. He knew nothing of the woman personally, and he believed he was never going to. Not that he really wished to know his victim, but it was something that bothered him. He slowly twirled the flower, his mind slowly fading.

He usually did not let his curiosity get the best of him, but the woman was starting to get underneath his skin. She kept him alive- Why, he did not know. She was not interested in his good looks, nor did she seem to realize who he truly was, so she was not after his power or fame. She just seemed to enjoy his company, as if she was amused by him in some way. Is that why she let him live? For her own entertainment? He smirked. Maybe she was more complicated then he first thought. After all, he was practically using her for the same reason; entertainment.

He found her replies to be somewhat amusing and her skills to be respected. She wasn't like any woman he had ever come across before. She was smart, and yet very sly, much like himself. She was quick on her feet, able to reply to his advances with fast rejections, leaving him slightly stunned. Who knew she would be this way? He would have never guessed it. She seemed so cold to everyone, treating them like nothing if they disrespected her or her lord. Even now she was still cold, but every time he saw her she would have a small spark in her eyes as she talked to him, making him believe otherwise. Hmm… It was too bad he had to kill her.

He smirked and gently placed the flower back into its vase. A soft click made his ears perk up, and he turned his head toward the door, his hand still held on to the delicate rose. So she had finally come back? Good, he was starting to get bored-

"Just continue watching them. If they start to advance any further then notify me at once, and we shall take it from there." Kagome's voice spoke as she opened the door.

"Of course-" The man stopped in his tracks when he quickly noticed the uninvited visitor inside his lady's bedchambers. He gripped the rose a little tighter, ready to use it if he had to. The demon reached for his sword, and was in the middle of unsheathing it when Kagome stopped him.

"It's alright Kage." Kagome reassured him. The demon seemed hesitant, but obeyed her nonetheless, slowly standing from his small crouching position.

So this was Kage? He quickly sized the demon up. He had long black hair and piercing violet eyes. He had a narrow chin, long elegant elf ears, and raven wings adorned his back. He wore black leather armor, and a sword was strapped to his hip. Kage; the Commander of Sesshoumaru's small army. He might not have but a handful of men, yet they were considered the best and most skillfully trained soldiers that anyone could come against. This demon, Kage, was the commander of them and he only took direct orders from Kagome or Sesshomaru. Getting caught inside of her room by none other then him, was very bad luck indeed.

"Go and do what I told you." Kagome ordered him.

"But Lady Kagome-" He did not like the idea of leaving her alone with him. He almost smirked at the thought. Though he had a point, even _he_ would not trust himself inside her room.

"Do not be concerned over the fox." She told him. "You have other business to worry about other then my small affairs."

"Of course, Lady Kagome." He still seemed hesitant, but bowed to her, not questioning her authority. He sent him another hard glare, before he turned around and left, leaving them alone in the room. She closed the door behind her and sighed.

"What do you want, Yoko?" She questioned. Ah, so she was using his name again, that was a good sign.

"I only came to see my beautiful treasure." He told her.

"Are you talking about me, or the jewel?" She asked. He almost chuckled at her clever observation.

"That is for you to decide."

"It's the jewel." Of course.

"Do not be that way, Kagome." He acted hurt, and slowly strolled over to her.

"That is my opinion."

"You are wrong." He lied. He then gently reached out and caressed her cheek. A familiar sting hit him, and he carefully withdrew his hand. He placed it in front of his lips and gave his burnt knuckles a lick, trying to sooth the pain. "Always so defensive."

"Stop attacking me and I'll stop defending." She stated.

"You dare call my touches attacks? I assure you, no woman has ever said such an appalling thing to me."

"Glad I'm the first."

"That hurts." He placed his hand over his chest and gave a small wince.

"Good."

"Do not be so harsh, I just came to see you." He slowly walked around her form, like a wolf stalking its prey. Every now and then he would glance at the treasure, softly hanging below her collar bone. If only she would let her guard down…

"You have not visited in weeks." She carefully watched him with her blue orbs, as he circled her.

"You missed me?" He asked, his tone gave away his amusement.

"If you truly cared so much, you would visit more often then once every few weeks…" She gave him a hint, and he chuckled.

"Are you questioning my love?" He asked.

"You do not love me." She stated. Yet again, she was correct, he did not love her. He wanted his treasure, nothing more.

"But I have shown you my affection, have I not?" He smirked, glancing at the rose. He finally stopped his circling and picked up a small lock of her silky hair. He lifted it to his lips and gave it a soft kiss, while admiring her vanilla scent.

"Do you take me for a fool?" She swatted his hand, forcing him to drop her hair. "I told you before that I am not so easily swayed."

"Yet you kept my gift?" He noted. He smirked as he saw a tint of pink go across her nose. "If it pleases you so, I could get another." He bent down, and whispered into her ear. "Of course, the gift would not be a flower…"

Yoko sighed as he rubbed his stinging cheek, while sitting on a tree branch. Why did she have to be so troublesome? He grumbled while leaning further into the bark. Women…

Kagome resisted a sigh as she stared at a familiar wooden door. Its detailed carvings matched its dark color perfectly, and it's wonderfully smooth handle was- Why was she talking about the description of the freakin' door? What the hell was wrong with her? She sighed and rubbed her face in frustration. It was all that damned fox's fault. She snorted as she blamed him for all her problems.

She shook her head. She was just trying to delay the inevitable. Raising her hand, she gave the door a gentle tap.

"Enter." A cold voice commanded on the other side. She opened the door, and walked into the room.

"Sesshomaru." She greeted as she closed the door behind her, and walked up to his desk.

"Kagome." He greeted her without looking away from his papers.

She frowned, not liking how hard he has been working lately. Hopefully he wouldn't over do it. She did not wish to see him tired or exhausted, while worrying about so many things. He should try and relax more often.

"Kage has told me the bandits from the North have started moving towards our lands, and I would like your opinion on the situation, should it turn for the worse."

"I already know about the bandits and I have informed him on what to do if they decide to make their problems into my problems." He told her. He already knows? He must have come up here and talked to him after he left her- "He also told me of the new pet you decided to keep." He looked up from his papers and she winced. Damn snitch. "Why did you not tell me about this, Kagome?" He slowly stood up and she resisted the urge to step back, fearing the worst. His form soon loomed over her smaller one, and she gave him a weak smile.

"He is just a thief." She tried to pass it off as if it was no big deal.

"A thief who can get past my security." He stated.

"Yes, well, he is very good at what he does."

"You should stop taking this so lightly."

"I am not treating this like a game, Sesshomaru." She defended herself.

"Yes, you are." She flinched at the tone of his voice. He had never gotten this angry before- A small, almost unnoticeable sigh brushed across her senses. She blinked and looked at him. "I am worried." He paused. "And so is Kage." He added. "He could be dangerous, and yet you let him into your room." His voice was much softer, as he explained it to her carefully.

"I can take care of myself…"

She tried to sound strong, yet she was hanging her head in shame. She knew he was right. She was treating this like a game and now look at what it had done. She'd worried him and she felt guilty for it- She was surprised as he gently grabbed her chin, lifting her head up to look at him.

"I do not doubt that, but that doesn't mean I will over look your reckless behavior."

She groaned, knowing she was not going to like what he had planned…

Kagome sighed as she looked upon the stacks and stacks of papers she still had yet to finish. Why did it have to be paperwork? By god, she hated paperwork. She groaned and placed her head unto the scattered sheets, littered all over the desk.

Look at what she did to his study! She snorted. She had been here all day _and_ all night, yet she still could not see the desk over the piles of papers! Then again, most of it was her fault, because she made it a complete and total mess by scattering everything, but still…

She sighed. If he wasn't going to kill her before, he would now. She sat up, and glanced around the room. Papers were scattered all over the floor, and unto the desk. The only real organization she had was that the ones she signed were on the floor and the ones yet to be done were still on the desk. She groaned and slammed her head back unto the desk. Only one good thing came out of this, and it was the fact that she was surrounded by his wonderful caramel scent. Yet even that was starting to lose its luster. She was so exhausted; she couldn't lift a stamp or sign her name if her life depended on it.

How did he do it? She questioned. Did he ever have any fun? How could he withstand this, all day every day? He must be some sort of super demon or something…

"Damn…" She mumbled.

She slowly raised her hand, pen held within it, and she signed one of the papers that were beside her head. Why did she have to do this? She gave a large yawn, showing her pearly whites to the world, before clicking her tongue and shifting in her spot. She moved her hand and signed another paper that she could still see from this lazy position. Why was she even here?

Another yawn escaped her tired lips and she took a deep breath. Why did she care enough to actually do what that man ordered anyway? She should be in bed, sleeping- She should be in her nice, warm blankets- She had to get up in an hour and check the castle for- She paused. What did she have to do again? She huffed, not knowing what she was thinking. Maybe her guilt got the best of her this time. Maybe she felt sorry for Sesshomaru, because he had so much work lately. Maybe she was _actually_ worried about him, and was _actually_ glad to do this, so he could have a break. Maybe, she was just _fucking_ crazy…

She sighed, as her eye lids became too heavy to hold up. Her body felt numb, and her mind went blank.

"Sessho…maru…" She whispered, as she was suddenly overtaken by exhaustion.

Feeling something softly touch her cheek she moaned, not wanting to wake up just yet. The gentle touch stopped and she sighed. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she was greeted with the familiar fabric of her covers. No wonder she felt so comfortable…

She sat up, and looked around, making sure she was really inside her room. Didn't she fall sleep in Sesshomaru's study? She raised her hand and placed it over her face. How did she get here? Remembering the soft touch before she woke up, a heated feeling crept its way onto her dazed expression.

She carefully lay back down and closed her eyes. She sighed as caramel evaded her senses, relaxing her. She reached up and gently touched her cheek.

Maybe, it was just her imagination...


	6. Books

Kagome smiled to herself, leaning further into the pillow behind her. She sighed as she stretched her legs out, across her comfortable bed. Today was a nice and relaxing day. She decided to sit back and enjoy what small moments she had this morning. What better way to do so then to read a book? She hummed as she continued soaking up the great writings of Conan Doyle. Ah, how she loved to be riddled with the wonderful puzzles Holmes got himself into.

Her blue orbs glanced across the page, taking in the words. She couldn't help but smile as a warm feeling went though her as she read over the ink covered paper. She was quickly pulled into the story and her body relaxed. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

"Hello Kagome." A deep voice greeted her. She resisted the urge to groan; she stood corrected.

"Yoko." She greeted him without taking her eyes off of the book. "You are here early." She noted. "It hasn't even been three days since your last visit."

"If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who told me to come more often." He told her. She could feel a small blush spread across her nose.

"I'm surprised you actually listened to me."

"I am full of many surprises."

"So I noticed." She gave a small laugh and turned the page in her book.

Feeling the bed cave in beside her was a sign he sat down. He leaned and looked over her arm, trying to see what she was reading. She raised an eyebrow at him in question.

"You are reading a book." He stated.

"Yes?" She almost laughed at his surprised tone. "Do not be so taken back by this information."

"Books are nonexistent in this world. We demons use papers or scrolls." He told her. "Only humans use books like these."

"And your point?" She knew what he was getting at but decided to act simple minded, just to tick him off.

"How did you come across a human book?"

"I have my ways." She told him.

"It also surprises me that you can read such things."

"You thought I was incapable of reading?"

"Not for the pleasure of it, no."

"Well, it's a very good book. I enjoy reading good literature when I have time." She smiled when she was left with silence for long period of time, as if he was pondering something. Did the idea of her reading a book surprise him that much? "You should be use to it by now, fox. I am full of surprises." She smirked when he heard a low chuckle escape his lips.

"Indeed you are." He complimented her. He then looked back unto the book, trying to read the pages. "What is the book about?"

"Are you interested?" She was amused by this.

"I only wish to know what has you so focused."

"It's about a man who solves crimes using his ingenuity and brilliant deductions." She told him. "You would probably enjoy it."

She smiled and closed the book. She placed the book in front of him. He looked at it questionably before taking it. He looked at the cover, and then turned it over, inspecting it more closely.

"Is this a gift?" He sounded amused by this.

"Are you rejecting it?"

"I would never reject you." He purred out. She rolled her eyes.

"Its just one book in a series of collections that has been published. If you wish to read more, just tell me and I'll get you another one."

"I am touched by your graciousness."

"You've got it wrong. It's just something to occupy your time so you don't have to bother me."

"I am not the kind of man to be so easily distracted from the one who has his utmost attention." Was he trying to say he was faithful only to one woman? Well, in his own words of course…He was really going all out, uh?

"That's good to know, now go have your attention elsewhere."

"Are you pushing me away? I only came to see you, like you asked."

"I was enjoying myself before you came along."

"Do you only want me to visit when you are bored? Is that your plan, keep me around just to shave off your boredom?"

"Yes. I am bored and I found you entertaining." She stated. "Does that bother you?"

"…No." He sounded hesitant.

"Then why was there a pause in your answer?"

"I am just flustered that my calculations were correct."

"You're upset that you were right?"

"Yes. It seems we are more alike then I first thought. For I too, am using you as a scapegoat from my seemingly dull life."

"I thought you used thievery to pass time?" She asked.

"I enjoy what I do. I find it thrilling to steal things. I do not do so just to pass time."

"I see…" She sighed. "How old are you?" She randomly asked, yet it was not random from her view of things.

"Are you starting to get interested in me?" He asked, amused.

"Maybe, depends on your answer." She shrugged. He chuckled.

"I am over 3,000 years old." He told her. She gave a long whistle.

"Wow, your old." She stated.

"Age is Virtue. With it comes experience and wisdom."

"This coming from a fox that got caught in my trap."

"…" He said nothing, yet it looked like she hit a soft spot.

"If it makes you feel better you have impressed me." She told him.

"Oh?" He seemed to have cheered up from that fact.

"To live that long, yet you say you do not steal just to pass time. If I were you I would have died from boredom long ago."

"I have you now, do I not? I believe I will not die from boredom yet."

"Maybe." She sighed and closed her eyes. "But I do know one thing: I _will_ be the one to end your boredom, one way or another, fox." She threatened. "When the time comes, I probably will be left to morn, for you are a great source of entertainment indeed."

"It is nice to know that the one who predicts to be my end will morn over my death." He touched her cheek, forcing her to open her eyes, only to be greeted by his sly grin. "Then again, why does my grim reaper care enough to give me a gift?" His words made a small blush stain her cheeks.

"I said that to scare you, not to bring you closer to me."

"You could never push me away, Kagome." He purred her name, and she rolled her eyes. "Yet it warms me to see you enjoy my presence enough to say I am of great source of entertainment for you. At least I now know I have wiggled my way into your heart."

"More like slithered." She corrected.

"So you did not oppose when I said that you, indeed, have fallen for me, yet you corrected me on my word usage?"

"I admit that have been warming up to you, but I am not-" She poked him in the chest, making him smirk. "I repeat, _not_ falling for you, fox."

"Admitting is just the first step." He gently grabbed her hand and gave it a kiss. She snorted, yet this time she did not shock him, which was odd. Instead she pulled her hand away and shoved him off of the bed. "Who knew you could be so rough." He smirked from his lying position on the floor, unfazed.

"Leave fox. You already ruined my good spirits enough for one day."

"Hmm…" He chuckled in amusement while pulling himself off of the floor, book in hand. "Nevertheless, I shall take your gift to heart and treasure it."

Kagome rolled her eyes and was about to say something, yet when she looked he had already gone, vanished without so much as one noise.

Damn, he was so quick and silent. Maybe she should be more cautious around that sly fox? She snorted and relaxed further into her bed. Yeah, right.

Kagome sighed as she opened the door to her room, going inside. Today had been rather stressing, especially after that fox barged into her room this morning and- She paused in her rant as something on her windowsill caught her attention. She raised eyebrow, questioning her own sanity while opening the window. She picked up the red rose and placed it to her nose. She sighed, founding the aroma to be rather relaxing. Though he was a strange demon, his scent always calmed her.

She placed some power into the flower- Ha, flower power. She giggled at her own humor. Man, she must have been _really_ exhausted if she found _that_ funny…

She was glad to find the flower still intact. Reaching down, she picked up the second object. She frowned when she realized it was the book she let him borrow that morning. Did he not like it-? She paused, seeing paper sticking out of the folds in the book. She opened it and found a small note.

_Dear Kagome_

_Just as you predicted, I found the book rather enjoyable. I could not take my eyes off of it for one minute, and the next thing I knew I was reading the last page before the day was through._

_I hope you will graciously give me another one, so I can bask in your generosity further…_

_Though I do not wish for your other prediction to be quite as accurate as this one. I rather enjoy my life, yet I do find dying by your beautiful and elegant hands to be a tantalizing image…_

_Yoko_

She couldn't help but laugh at the note.

"That crazy, crazy fox…"

Yoko gracefully climbed from one ledge to the next, going towards his target's room. He landed silently, and was about to forcefully open the window, like he always did, yet he found it to be already unlocked.

"Hmm…" He pushed the window open and went into the room.

He found his target lying on her bed, fast asleep. He watched as she twitched her nose, when a small rogue hair brushed across the appendage. He chuckled at the sight, yet he knew if he tried anything he would be instantly turned into ash. He had seen those who were unfortunate enough to wake her without her consent…

He shivered as a chill went down his spine just thinking about it. She was a light sleeper, and he couldn't risk it. But he was hoping she would not have retired to bed so early that night- He stopped his musings when something on her nightstand caught his attention.

He strolled over to it and picked up the rust colored book. Seeing a page sticking out, he opened it, finding a note.

_Here's the book you asked for, enjoy. _

He smiled, reading over the words. Short but sweet-

_Ps. Stop staring at me while I'm sleeping, you pervert_

He chuckled. Such a strange, strange woman…


	7. Sparring and Science

Kagome took a deep breath, the grip on her sword tightened, and she shifted her weight in nervousness. Raising her hand she gave the wooden door a gentle tap.

"Enter." A cold voice commanded. She quickly shook off her uneasiness and walked though the door.

"Sesshomaru." She greeted him.

"Kagome." He acknowledged her without lifting his gaze from his paperwork. "Is something wrong? You seem..." He paused, thinking of the right term. "Troubled." He finally figured out the word and sighed.

"Me? Have you looked at yourself? You just paused in your sentence!" She stated. He'd never done that, nor had he sighed like that. She got a good look at him and did not like what she saw.

He was sitting in his usual spot, but his desk was piled with stacks of scrolls, papers, and human books. He had on his usual cold and emotional mask, yet his movements were slow and his concentration was lacking more then she would like. Others would not have noticed such things, but she had been around him long enough to catch the subtle changes in his behavior.

"You should not work so hard. Maybe you should take a break?" She tried to get him to rest, worried about his condition. She strolled over to his side. His usual calming aura was dulled, and filled with small pricks of stress, making her feel uncomfortable.

"This Sesshomaru does not need a break." He stated. She rolled her eyes.

"Well, 'this Kagome' thinks you do." She objected.

"Taking a break will only pile my work and make my job more difficult." He pushed away her kind gesture. She sighed. "Was there something you need? As you can see, I am busy and I do not have much time for your small talk." He told her.

"I wanted to spar with you." She gave him a straight answer, not wanting to bother him with her usual 'foolish' conversations.

"I am too occupied at the moment to entertain you with training. Bother Kage with your inconvenient needs." He declined her offer. She sighed. But he use to enjoy sparing with her...

"Alright, sorry I wasted your valuable time." She pouted. Turning around she slowly strolled to the door. Just as her hand touched the knob, his voice called to her, stopping her movements.

"Maybe next time?" He offered a rain check. She looked at him over her shoulder. His golden orbs finally locked with her deep blue and she gave him a small smile.

"You sure the 'Great Sesshomaru' will have the time off to play with me?" She asked.

"Of course." He reassured her.

"Alright then." She agreed.

"Next week." He conformed the arrangement time.

"Hmm..." She paused, as if considering it. "You_ sure _you will not be taken? I mean, you are a very busy man..."

"I can set some time off if it means that much to you." He gave her a rare smile and she blushed. Maybe she was being too harsh on him? She did appear to him and ask out of the blue. She supposed he couldn't make room for her every time she was bored.

"Then it's a date!" She cheered. He chuckled and turned back to his paperwork while muttering 'foolish mikos'. She gave a small laugh. He had never changed, even after all these years...

She walked though the dark corridor going outside. Unlike her foxy friend, _she _could not jump out of a window to go outside, she must use the door. She was respected and as such she must mind her manners, even when she believed no one was looking. She sighed. The price she had to pay for being strong and connected.

Though sometimes she had to fight the urges to do silly things around people, she knew if she did something, since she was known to be Sesshomaru's bodyguard, it would make him look bad and she did not want that. To bad that fact only made living here even duller. What was the point in living in a castle if you couldn't hide in the dark crevasses and pretend to be Igor, fake hump and all, and jump out at people as they walk by, yelling 'yes~s master!' while limping away? What was the point in missing _that _opportunity, really? If only Sesshomaru would let her...

She sighed. Why was all her fun ruined? She mumbled and walked out of the large castle doors, going outside. She quickly went around the back of the building and looked around. She smiled when she found her target sparing with a solider she had never seen before. New recruit? She walked forward until she was a respectable distance and watched the small bout. Of course the new member had far less experience, yet he was not lacking in skill and flare. His moves were quick and unpredictable, catching the Raven off guard a few times. But she wasn't too surprised when it ended quickly in the Crow's favor. Even so, she believed the young man's skills to be quite good. With some training he could become a good addition to the army. He always had a good eye for talent…

With that in mind she gave a small and slow clap, applauding their training. The sound brought their attention to her direction, and they were both taken back by her sudden appearance. They quickly stood straight and bowed to her. She took a few steps and came within arms reach of them, a small smile on her face.

"Lady Kagome." Kage greeted her. She gave him a soft nod of her head in greeting, then look at the demon standing beside him. He came to Kage's shoulders and looked fairly young.

"It seems this lad actually had you sweating, Crow." She gave him a smirk, amused. The said crow blushed.

"Yes, he is quite skilled. His fighting style is unusual."

"Is he a new recruit that you admitted?" She asked.

"Yes." He smiled. "This is Renji." He introduced him.

"Renji." She nodded. "The name suits you." She complimented him. The boy blushed, but she noticed he did not bow. He has not been properly trained yet? He is _very_ new...

"I-it's a pleasure- An honor-" He stuttered. "Lady Kagome." She couldn't help but laugh at his nervousness.

"Surprised to see me so soon after your admittance?"

"Y-yes- I mean...No?" He started to fidget. "What was the question again?" She continued to laugh at the boy, unable to hold her giggles. So many things he did wrong- It was quite a nice change of attitude compared to the 'sticks in the mud' she was used to being around...

"Was there something you needed, Lady Kagome?" Kage asked. When she was finally able to talk she turned towards Kage once again.

"I came here because I would like to spar with you, Kage."

"I am flattered that Milady would wish to spar with me, yet I am saddened to say I must decline your offer."

"Oh?" She wasn't really surprised. She knew he would once she saw him with the boy, but thought it would be polite to ask anyway.

"I have to train the young blood so he knows how to correctly address someone of your stature, Milady." She laughed when the boy blushed and scratched the back of his head in nervousness. "Maybe you should ask Lord Sesshomaru?" He gave his opinion.

"I have already asked him, he was too busy with his work to be bothered with my 'inconvenient needs'."

"I am sorry to hear that." He seemed surprised Sesshomaru would decline. She sighed. Even _she _was still surprised. This had been the first time he had ever refused a sparing match with her.

"Well he has been rather busy as of late..." She mumbled, as if trying to make an excuse for him.

"Of course. He has been upset with the resent struggle on the land." He agreed.

"Well, I suppose I am out of worthy sparing partners since you are busy as well..." She sighed.

"My Lady, please don't make me feel guilty."

"I would never do such a thing." She smiled, acting innocent. "Though..." She smirked and reached up, touching his cheek. "I would like to see your busy schedule open for me, next time I need you..." His wings twitched and a blush appeared on his cheeks.

"Of course."

"Good..." She reached out and gently touched one of his wings. His eyes widened, his blush spread across his elegant elf ears, and down his neck. "Your feathers are very soft..." She smiled.

"T-thank you."

"Keep up your excellent work, Kage. I would like to see some improvement on the rookie next time we meet." She patted his chest in encouragement. "Worthy enough to make up for this skipped engagement?" She sounded hopeful; giving him the conditions to make up for the fact he also refused her offer. So he wouldn't feel so guilty.

"Only the best." He replied.

"I have great confidence in you and Renji." She glanced at the blushing boy beside him and gave him a small smile.

Though in the end, it was too bad she was left without a sparing partner yet again. She sighed and turned around, walking away from the two demons, leaving them alone to continue their training. If only there was someone else she could pester...

Yoko sighed as he leaned further into the bark. What a peaceful day. He allowed his ears to droop, and his body relaxed as he read over the ink covered paper. Who knew human books could be so entertaining? He turned the page and his tail started to flick back and forth underneath the branch, showing his enjoyment. Nothing could possibly go wrong...

A familiar Vanilla sent wafted into his nose and he paused in his reading. He slowly turned his head and watched as his target strolled up to the tree he was stationed in. He smirked, closed his book, and then jumped down, landing gracefully beside her.

"What do I owe the pleasure of this fine and wonderful visit?" He asked.

He was actually taken off guard to see her so soon. He visited her yesterday, found out she was able to receive human books, and that night had took the new book from her nightstand, finding the strange note attached.

He bowed and gave her a small kiss on her knuckles. He was surprised when she did not shock him, but pulled her hand away instead. Has he his advances truly paid off? The thought made his mind reel with images of the jewel finally within his grasp.

"I wanted to know if you would like to spar with me." She gave him a straight answer.

"Spar?" He was perplexed by this sudden event. "Why, I am honored you would-"

"Cut the chatter fox. Answer with a yes or a no." She rolled her eyes, not wishing to be bothered with his flirting. He gave a small chuckle at her rushed behavior.

"Like I said before, I would never refuse you."

"Good." She sounded pleased. He was admiring her happy expression, until something heavy hit his chest.

"Oomph!" He grunted and looked down. He grinned when the first thing he noticed was her hand. "Why Kagome, I didn't know you meant_ that_ kind of sparing..."

"Shut it." She sighed. "If you would think beyond your pants, you would see it's a sword." She told him. "Now take it so I can let go." He smirked and grabbed the Katana she was so generous enough to provide for him. He looked at the sheath and noticed it was not very expensive looking or rare. He pulled out the sword and examined it but did not find anything special. He sighed and placed it back into its container. Nothing worth stealing...

"I have my own weapons, if you don't mind." He told her.

"Fine by me." She shrugged and took back the sword. She placed it at the base of a tree and pulled out her own blade. He noticed it was the Katana she used when they first met. "Whenever you're ready, Fox." She smirked. He snorted and laid his book on the floor for later. He then used some of his energy and created one of his favorite weapons. "A rose? Come on Yoko, you are supposed to spar with me, not give me more roses." He smirked and flicked his wrist turning the beautiful flower into a deadly weapon. She gave a long whistle, showing she was impressed. "Nice..."

"Thank you-" His eyes widened when she suddenly materialized in front of him. He ducked just in time, but some of his hair got in the crossfire of her quick slash. He jumped to the side, getting his distance. "I thought you said 'Whenever _I'm_ ready.' " He argued.

"Too slow." She stated with a smirk.

He smirked as well, enjoying her forcefulness...

Kagome grunted in frustration. It has been hours and she has not been able to lay one hit on the fox. It not only upset her, it made her feel rusty! Though she should be thankful because he had not been able to hit her either. Were they really equal in sparing matches? It just seemed unreal. His used a whip, like Sesshomaru, yet he was very good at using other flowers as well. Why use this one? Maybe he wanted a challenge? Throwing a seed and watching his pet try and eat her was not very sporting. Wouldn't call it a spar either. It would be instantly turned into ash, so this would be his only opinion. Was that the only reason?

She shook her head. No, he probably wants to get close to steal the jewel. That must be it- wait- There was something wrong with that idea. He was using a distance weapon, he would need to use a close combat tactic to steal to jewel that way. Did he really wish to spar with her just because she asked? Suddenly, she felt her face getting flushed. Damn...

He sent another whip attack towards her and she quickly placed her miko energy into the blade. Use the katana as a shield she blocked the attack. She smirked when his weapon turned into dust. He stared at her with a puzzling expression and then he glanced at the burnt stem in his hand.

"You could have done that this whole time?"

"Of course." She smirked.

"Why not do so in the beginning of the battle?"

"This is not a battle, Yoko, this is a sparing match. The goal is to train my body and pass some time while doing it." She rolled her eyes and walked over to her forgotten sheath. "Though I must admit you were very good." She complimented him, placing her sword back into its case.

"Why, I am flattered..." He whispered into her ear. Her eyes widened in surprise, and a loud crack tore into the calm air. "Ouch. That was uncalled for." He stated, rubbing his bruised cheek.

"Sorry, reflex." She smirked. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"So you _do_ let your guard down. It's just not often." He seemed pleased by this fact.

"You are just too quiet for your own good." She huffed, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Are you complimenting me yet again?" He smirked. "Twice in one day, that's a record."

"Its sad to see your personal record is so low. Not very many people compliment you, uh?" She twisted his words around.

"None that matters." He quickly responded, purring. He reached up and caressed her cheek. "But your words warm me, and make me happy..." She gave him a nice shock. He sighed and licked his burnt fingers. "Back to defending I see."

"Stop attacking. The sparing is over."

"I can never stop attacking a prey that is so delicious looking." He smirked. "Besides, how else am I going to pay for the kindness you showed to me last night?"

"Kindness?"

"Yes." He held up his other hand and she blushed, seeing the familiar rusty colored book. "I am happy to see you enjoy my company enough to give me gifts. Though I enjoy the books, something inside the story I do not quite understand, and I'm puzzled by it." He confessed, looking at the book.

"You? Confused?" She gently grabbed the book and gave it a good look over. "What are you confused about?" She innocently asked.

"Well, the man uses strange things to solve his cases. He is quite knowledgeable but I get stranded when he uses strange powers to figure some of the clues out."

"Powers?" She frowned, deep in thought, trying to concentrate on what he was talking about. Holmes doesn't have any powers..."Ah!" She exclaimed. She gave a small laugh, amused. Of course he wouldn't understand that. He raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "Its not powers. It's science."

"Science?" He questioned.

"It's a human thing..." She stated as if it would answer everything.

"I would like to know more about this, 'science'." He sounded interested. She sighed and plopped herself on the grassy floor. He gave her a funny look and she laughed.

"Come, sit. This might take a while..." She invited him to sit beside her. He seemed hesitant at first but his curiosity got the best of him and sat down as well.

"You are going to tell me about science?" He asked, sounding surprised.

"Of course. I don't mind telling others the knowledge I have on things like this." She told him. "What would you like to know first?"

"What is science?"

"Science is the human's way of gaining knowledge by studying natural things in their habitat, and doing much research on how they live and react to the world around it."

"Science is an observation?"

"There's more to it then that. There are different categories of science, but the one Holmes mostly uses is Natural Science. Such as his knowledge in Astronomy, Botany, Chemistry, and Earth Science, like Geology." She told him. She could see he was still very interested, but he did not understand what those things meant. She sighed. "Okay let me try Botany first, since you're the plant guy."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment…"

"I would." She suggested.

"That makes three. I am overflowing with a sense of-"

"You want me to teach you about human science or not?" She questioned, interrupting him.

"Hmm…" He seemed conflicted. He then sighed, lay on the grass and closed his eyes. "Continue."

"…" She rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. "Botany is the study of plant life and its development." She kept a watchful eye on the sly fox, yet he did not move. He continued to lay there, relaxed. "Take this grass for instance." She spoke plucking a small strand. "Grass might be grass, but there are different types all over the world. They study how they grow, and how they contribute to the Earth." She sighed. "Botany began with tribal efforts to identify edible, medicinal and poisonous plants, making botany one of the oldest sciences." She smiled remembering something a friend once told her. "Though long ago people use to believe tomatoes were poisonous because of its bright red color…" He gave a small snort and she laughed.

"Anatomy is a form of Biology, which the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment. Anatomy itself is the structure of living things. There are different kinds of Anatomy, such as: Human anatomy, Animal anatomy, and plant anatomy. A simple example is, hmm- take your body for example. You are demon yet you are in a human form. That would be part of the human anatomy though you have extra animal parts such as your ears and tail. If I cut you open there are veins, organs, and bones hidden underneath the skin. How they work, and the effect they have on keeping you alive, is what they study in particular."

"If you change into your fox form however…" She watched as his ears twitched and she smiled. "Most things are the same, you have a lung to help you breath and such but the size, placement, and even shape of some organs are different with animals. Take the brain for example, it is common that most animals on earth have smaller brains then a human, yet some parts of the brain, like the tectum, which controls movements and visual comprehension of your eyes, are far more advanced then humans." She shrugged when he cracked open an eye and looked at her.

"Geology is the study of the earth, and Astronomy is the study of celestial objects, such as stars, planets, and galaxies, that are outside Earth's atmosphere." She sighed. Stars and planets have always fascinated her the most.

"Outside the atmosphere? How can they study something that is out of reach?"

"To study something, most of it is about observation, then you come up with an hypothesis." She paused. "Hmm…" She tried to think of an example. "Take the sky for instance. The sky on the Earth is blue. I could say it's blue because a higher power made it that way. That could be my theory, yet that is not science, that is mostly related with religion, which is the opposite of science since it is by faith, not fact. The real reason is because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light. When we look towards the sun at sunset, we see red and orange colors because the blue light has been scattered out and away from the line of sight." Seeing his confused expression, as he tried to take in this information, she couldn't help but laugh. "I'll get to that later I guess…"

"They are able to study space because of telescopes that humans invented. They were made just for that purpose. Well, the high powered telescopes. Some people use the smaller ones to be able to see far away." She placed her hands over here eyes like binoculars. "Unlike demons, humans can't see miles away without the help of lenses." She sighed and lowered her hands. "They use high powered lenses to see into space. That is how they study the stars. Humans are even able to go to the moon using their technology and abilities created by modern science."

"To the moon?" He seemed surprised by this. "You mean humans are able to go to the moon?"

"Yes."

"Impossible." He seemed to object that idea right away. She laughed.

"Don't believe me?"

"No demon is able to do such a thing. How could humans do it?"

"I told you, through science." She laughed. "The book I gave you is quite old, but its story setting is made in the period of 1887 to 1914. That was a time when modern science first took off. It has grown much, with the help of the human's knowledge, and skill to explore and question the things around it. Because of that, they are able to build things that can far exceed most ideas. One of the wondrous outcomes of science is man's achievement to send one of their own to the moon."

"Science…" She heard the fox mumble. She raised and eyebrow as she watched him sit up. "I had no idea…"

"You like science?" She asked.

"It has intrigued me, yet I still don't believe that humans were able to go to the moon. It's just not possible."

"A skeptic I see…" She laughed.

"Do not get me wrong, Kagome. You are an excellent teacher…" He reached out and gently touched her cheek. "Though I did find it hard to concentrate on your lovely voice when you were so close to me." He whispered into her ear while running his clawed hand through her hair. "It's quite arousing. I wouldn't mind continuing this student/teacher facade in the bedchambers -" A loud crack interrupted his speech.

Kagome huffed as she stomped away from the horny fox. Why couldn't he just keep his hands to himself? Damned fox…

He sighed and rubbed his sore cheek. Why does she have to be so violent? He smirked, lying back unto the grassy floor. Damned female…

_**NOTE:**_ Hey guys. I tried my best with the science part of the story. I forgot most of it since I do not go to school anymore, so I had to use Wiki. Lol. So I apologize if I put anything that is wrong or incorrect.

Thank you for your time.

ShadowFoxMoon


	8. Questions

He sat upon the Tree branch, pondering on what to do. He wished to finish the book yet his mind kept wandering elsewhere. He couldn't stop thinking about the events that happened lately. First he found out she had books, then she gave him her own book and said he could have them anytime he wished. The very next day he started to read his second book, but then she appeared and asked him to spar with her.

At fist he was surprised she would even ask such a thing from him, yet he found it rather enjoyable once he started the match with her. Her moves were very graceful and fluent, not to mention fast. He had a hard time keeping up with her quick maneuvers, but once he got the jest of her fighting style it became slightly easier. But that doesn't mean she wasn't a tough opponent. Even with his experience in battle he still had a difficult time keeping her away from him. The fight was not the problem though, but what happened afterwards was.

Once again he was surprised by her. She answered his curious questions about the book, and more. He came to understand that the 'powers' that Holmes had was something the humans called 'science'. To say he was interested in science was an understatement. He found the idea rather intriguing when he learned that humans had such knowledge, and he couldn't keep his mind from pondering. The fact that humans has such curious nature reminds him much of his own kind. Yet something was bothering him...

Was she really telling the truth about the moon? He just couldn't believe that such a thing happened on Earth. How could humans go to a place that even demons could not reach? Was science really that powerful? How did knowledge bring them to the moon? How did they get there? What did they do once they arrived? Did it really happen, or was she just pulling his leg? He had so many questions; his mind was reeling, wanting answers.

And he was going to get them...

He jumped onto the ledge, but was surprised to see the window opened. He stepped inside and was greeted by Kagome, sitting on a chair, combing her raven locks.

"Nice to see you back so soon Yoko." She smiled.

"It's always nice to see you, Kagome." He bowed in greeting, and she nodded her head.

"Was there something you wanted?" She questioned.

"You…" He purred. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I suppose I set myself up for that one." She laughed.

"I see you are in a good mood." He noticed.

"Guess you could say that."

He smirked and walked over to her empty bed. He made himself comfortable by lying on the soft comforter. He noticed right away that it was very soft and he easily relaxed. He sighed, placing his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. Who knew she had such good taste? He allowed his tail to swish back and froth across the covers, showing his delight. A soft laugh brought him back to realty.

"Find something amusing?"

"I see you like my bed."

"It is like heaven." He told her. "And the fact that your lovely scent is all around me makes it even more attractive."

"What did you really come here for, fox?" She sounded suspicious. "If you've come here to freeload off of me think again…" He found her words amusing and gave a small chuckle.

"Of course not, though I do find the image of sleeping by your side rather exciting." He heard her snort and he smirked. "I have come to ask you more questions about science."

"Oh?" Her tone gave away her amusement. "So foxes _are_ curious creatures eh?"

"It seems so."

"Alright." She agreed. He cracked open an eye and looked at her.

"Really?" His tail gently tapped on the bed, showing his joy.

"On one condition." She stated. He sighed. Of course…

"What is your condition?"

"I won't answer a question until you answer one of mine." She gave him her rules.

"Hmm…" He pondered over the situation. "Sure." He agreed. What could she possible ask him anyway?

"What kind of fox demon are you?" She questioned.

"I'm a spirit fox." He told her. "Did the humans really go to the moon?"

"You're wasting your question." She advised him.

"I am not wasting anything..." He just wanted to make sure.

"Yes they did go to the moon. I did not lie." She sighed and placed the brush on her dresser. "You still think it's impossible?" She questioned.

"Maybe." He shrugged. "How did they get there?"

"A rocket."

"What's a rocket?"

"Ah-" She raised her finger. "It's my turn to ask you a question." She reminded him. He sighed. This would take forever to get the information he wanted. She placed her hand under her chin, thinking. "You said you were a spirit fox. You must have trained intensely to have the powers of a demon."

"I did say I was 3,000 years old." He reminded her.

"You're so powerful. Does that mean you steal for fun?"

"I do enjoy stealing things, if that is what you are asking." He answered. "What is a rocket?" He repeated his question.

"A rocket is a missile type aircraft that can obtain great speeds by using thrust to propel itself through the air." She replied. "Do you have any partners in crime?" He was surprised be asked that question and didn't know how to answer it.

"…No." He hesitated.

"Are you lying?" She questioned.

"I am not lying. I do not have any partners." He turned his head away. "Not anymore…" He whispered sadly.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I did not mean to upset you."

"It's alright, no harm done." He tried to reassure her, yet he knew it didn't sound convincing.

He thought about the time when his good friend died. Was there something he could have done to stop it? After the incident he replayed the events over and over again in his mind, yet he could not find the answer. If he could not find it then, why would he think the outcome would be any different now? His friend died, and he couldn't do a thing about it. He felt so weak. Why couldn't it have been him instead? He sighed. Kuronue...

Hearing small footsteps walk towards him, he paused his thoughts. He opened his eyes and was greeted by deep blue.

"Yes?" He smirked, enjoying himself because she was so close. Wonder what would happen if she got even closer-

"Stop thinking naughty things." She ordered him. He chuckled.

"I cannot help it. You are so lovely and-" She grabbed his wrist, interrupting him.

"Come on Romeo, I want to show you something…" She smiled.

"Show me what?"

"It's a surprise."

"A surprise?" He raised an eyebrow at her in question. The idea of her taking him somewhere private popped into his mind and a smirk appeared on his face. "And here I thought you were the shy type when it came to this sort of thing. Could it be that you have fallen for me?" Then he could finally get the jewel…

"Keep dreaming…" She pulled him out of the bed and started to drag him through the castle.

He sighed in defeat, and humored her by allowing her to pull him along. She laughed. Her voice echoed down the empty corridor and his ears twitched at the soft sound, making his body shiver. She had a nice voice. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

After turning several corners and going up many stairs they stopped at a door. She smiled and pushed it open, before dragging him outside. Seeing the starry night sky she sighed and let go of the fox's hand. She walked to the center of the floor and sat down on the cold stone.

"What do you think? Isn't it great?" She couldn't hold in her excitement. "The castle is higher then any tree in the forest. The view is quite breath taking." She looked at the sky. Feeling him sit down beside her she smiled.

"So this is your hiding spot?"

"Some times; when Sesshomaru wants me to do paperwork." She laughed. He gave a small chuckle as well. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"I told you before that your question did not bother me."

"Don't try to deny it." She sighed. "I could tell in your aura that you were sad."

"Aura?"

"Yes, I can sense auras. It's different from demonic energy."

"Ah, so that's why you can spot me, even when I'm so careful."

"Yes. So don't start thinking you can sneak up on me, because it's impossible."

"That just makes the challenge more exciting." He reached out and grabbed her hand, laying a soft kiss on her knuckles. She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away. "But I am pleased that you would worry about me to such an extent, Kagome."

"I wasn't worried!" She objected.

"I believe bring me to this place to cheer me up, is a sign that you were worried over my well being." He smirked.

"Stop saying such nonsense."

He shook his head and chuckled at her childlike behavior. He then took his golden orbs away from her and started to look into the night sky. She smiled and leaned back, watching the sky as well. She was glad he was back to his old self. Even though it was for a short time, his saddened energy was too much for her to handle. She wished to liven up his mood so she brought him here. It made him feel better, and that made her happy. But that did _not_ mean she was worried about him! She resisted the urge to snort. Stupid fox thinks he knows everything...

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, watching him stare at the sky. Whether she liked to admit it or not she was starting to enjoy the company of the fox. He was charming and slick. A nice change in demeanor compared to all the other stiffs in the castle. His aura was usually calm and it soothed her. His scent of wild roses was quite alluring and his personally was refreshing. It was quite surprising to see him get saddened by the mention of his partner...

"What was his name?" She found her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Hmm?" He turned and looked at her.

"Your partner. What was his name?" He took a deep breath and sighed. He closed his eyes, as if remembering.

"Kuronue..." He whispered.

"How did it happen?"

"It was a long time ago..." He started. "We were together on a heist and we were on the mist of running away with our prize. The guards quickly caught up and Kuronue dropped something that was very precious to him. He went back to get it, even though I told him not to, and he got caught in a trap. I wanted to go back and get him, but he told me run, or else I will get caught too. He died right before my eyes..." He turned his head, as if ashamed.

"Do not be so sad. It was not your fault. You couldn't have done anything." She tired to reassure him.

"I know..." He looked back at the sky. "Since then I have been more cautious, and even made my own gang of thieves." He smirked. "Though my second in command turned out to be quite rebellious. In the end I suppose I'm better off working alone. And so, here I am."

"You have come a long way since then. You have learned from your mistakes and that is what matters, right?" His ears twitched and a soft smile graced his handsome face. She blushed. That's the first time she had seen him look...happy. Though it quickly went away, and got replaced by a familiar smirk.

"No. You're wrong about that."

"Oh?"

"Yes." His ears twitched. "The jewel is what matters now."

"Idiot." She gave him a playful slap on the arm, earning a small chuckle from the amused fox.

"So..." He bent down and pressed his forehead against hers. "Are you going to tell me more about these rockets, Kagome?" He purred her name.

She rolled her eyes and pushed him away from her. She sighed. Tonight was going to be a long night…


	9. Its A Date

Kagome walked down the streets with a bright smile on her face. The sky was clear and the day seemed peaceful. She couldn't hold in her joy as she strolled through the town.

"When I said I would take a break from work, I was expecting a day full of training, not shopping." A cold voice spoke beside her. She gave a small laugh, noticing the annoyed tone laced into his words.

"We are not shopping." She objected. "We are on a date."

"Call it what you will. It is still a foolish human act that you dragged me into doing."

She couldn't help but laugh once again. He always knew how to make her feel better, even if he wasn't trying to do so. She looked around; noticing most of the demons were staring as they walked by. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Though this town is one of the closest to the castle, they still found it alarming when he walked into the city. Hmm. She thought back, trying to remember the last time he was here. She frowned, not remembering anything. Had he really not been in this town before? She almost laughed at the thought. If anyone needed a vacation, even for a little while, it was him. That workaholic rarely left his office! She sighed. He should get out more…

She grinned. Well, that's why they were here after all. To have some fun, and teach this old dog new tricks. She glanced beside her, openly staring at him. When he noticed she was looking, he shifted his attention to her form as well. She smiled when blue meet gold.

"Would you like to get something to eat?" She offered.

"You know quite well that this Sesshomaru does not need food."

"Yes, I know that." She rolled her eyes. "You might not need it, but I do." She reminded him. "Besides, you don't have to eat food, but if my memory serves me right, you enjoy tasting it." She smiled. "I strictly remember a certain demon lord who enjoyed the food I cooked long ago…"

He gave a small sigh, and she giggled…

"Enter." He allowed them to come into the room. She smiled when the waiters brought the food and placed it down on the table in front of them. He nodded in his approval and they sighed in relief, before bowing and leaving the room.

She couldn't hold back her excitement as she stared at her bowl of Oden. She picked up her chopsticks and dipped them into the steaming food. She slowly pulled out a piece of the meal before plopping it hungrily into her waiting mouth. She hummed in delight as the tasty treat filled her senses and warmed her being.

She smiled and glanced at the demon lord sitting beside her. He slowly, and with a much more elegant manner, took a small bite from his plate and placed it into his mouth. He closed his eyes, savoring the flavor before he nodded in acceptance and took another bite. A warming feeling over took her and she placed another piece of her food into her mouth.

She looked around the room, enjoying the accommodations the restaurant provided them. They were specially pampered, placed inside of a well sized private room, away from all of the noise and commotion in the front of the building. She sighed, enjoying the quiet. Sometimes it was great to be well known and powerful.

She looked down at her food and her reflection stared back at her. She paused in her eating, as a sudden depressing feeling over took her and she frowned.

"Is something the matter? Is the food not to your liking?" He questioned. She smiled to herself as she noticed the small hint of worry laced within his tone.

"Thinking about the past is all." She told him, trying not to let him worry.

"I see." He took another bite of his food, not saying anything else.

"Do you think he is happy with her?" She questioned.

"Every time you ask him, the answer always seems to be 'Yes'." He answered, knowing who she was talking about. She sighed and started to pick at her food. Suppose he's right- "Though I do find it rather distasteful when she calls me 'Brother-in-law'." He confessed, taking another nibble of his food, his calm domineer never changing.

She couldn't help but give a soft laugh, already feeling comforted by his words. She smiled and finally took another bite of her food. She felt her cheeks heat up from the pleasurable sensation from the delicious meal.

"Do you ever regret it?" She suddenly asked, biting into another helping of her food. "Allowing me to be by your side, that is." She rephrased her words so he would understand what she was talking about.

"Sometimes." He answered.

"Ouch." She gave a fake wince. "Why do you always have to be so truthful?"

"Why would I lie?" He asked.

"To save the other person from feeling so guilty." She told him.

"Only you silly humans would lie, just to make the other person feel better about themselves."

"Don't you feel bad if you hurt another person's feelings?" She questioned if he had a heart.

"This Sesshomaru does not feel such emotions towards another person."

"So if someone spoke ill things about you, you would not get mad?"

"Showing disrespect and telling the truth are two separate things."

"Then if someone came up to me and said that I had a nice body. You would not be offended? It's the truth, but it can still be counted as disrespecting."

"Why would I be offended by such things?" He asked. "They are talking to you, not me."

"I meant if I was offended, and it upset me, would that not make you angry?"

"Are you questioning whether or not I will be sympathetic on your behalf?"

"Maybe." She smiled and took a bite out of her warm food.

"I suppose I will be angered if someone disrespects my companions in such a way."

"What if the person upsetting me was you?"

He paused in his eating, food just a few inches away from his lips. She gave a small laugh as she watched him trying to figure out the right answer.

"If I did so, then this Sesshomaru would have to apologize." He spoke, and then placed the food into his mouth.

"Apology accepted." She gave him a bright smile. He slowly turned his head and giving her his all too familiar icy glare.

"I was not sorry for the truth I said earlier." He stated.

"But it hurt my feelings…" She pouted.

"This Sesshomaru regrets nothing."

"You are so conceited!" She huffed, plopping a huge bite of food into her mouth.

"You speak the truth, so I will not take your outburst as a sign of disrespect." He told her, a small smirk played across his handsome face.

Damn dog…

She sighed and placed another piece of food into her mouth. The room was now calm, and she made sure to enjoy it by talking slow bites, savoring the moment. She couldn't help but feel relaxed as she sat beside him. His caramel scent invaded her senses, yet it did not overpower the flavor of her food. His calm attitude sent shivers down her spine as she felt the energy radiating off of him, completely subduing her. She could never be mad at him, not for long anyway.

She stole a glance at him, out of the corner of her eyes. He gracefully picked up a bite of his food and placed it into his mouth. He too, was savoring the moment and eating his food rather slowly. Did that mean he was enjoying spending this time with her? The idea made a small blush stain her cheeks and she quickly focused her gaze back to her food.

"Do you still believe this date is a waste of your precious time?" She asked, putting another small bite of food into her mouth.

"I have started to warm up to this 'dating' idea." He told her. "Though I still believe human courtships are rather strange."

"Most humans would think that demon courtships are strange."

"Are you just saying that to defend your kind's honor?" The amused tone in his voice made her look in his direction. Seeing a sly smirk gracing his face, she blushed and turned her head.

"Well, I have to do something when someone disrespects my people…" She replied.

He gave a rare chuckle and took another nibble of his food. She sighed and stared at her bowl. Though she would never tell him, she liked his deep laugh. It was quite soothing to her. It had been a while since she'd heard it. He'd been too busy to spend any time with her…

"You have been working more then usual." She told him.

"So you have noticed."

"Of course I have." She snorted. "Last week was the first time you have ever rejected my offer to spar."

"I have been busy."

"With the Three Kings again?" She asked.

"Yes." He paused in his motions and stared at his food, a serious look on his face. "We are estimating that Raizen has 18 more years before his body use up all its energy and he starves to death." Hearing his words, she too, paused in her eating. "I am not sure what will happen after that, but I am guessing that the two kings will gather their forces and cause a large scale war to fall upon this world."

"Are you worried about what would happen?" He was always concerned about his lands and, since he came to this world, his compassion had even reached to beyond that. She smiled to herself. Though she must admit she had met the king, Raizen, and he didn't seem like that bad of a demon. Sesshomaru and he had talked for many hours, and she hadn't been bored at all, which was rare. She felt a sense of sadness, thinking that he only had a few more years to live…

"If that would happen, the world will surly suffer, yet I have no plan on how to handle the situation." He sighed and slowly placed another bite of food into his mouth. So that was why he had been so busy.

"You could become the third king. You are strong enough to be considered worthy of the title."

"I told you before, I do not wish to fraternize myself with idiots."

"Then how about a tournament?" She suggested with a smile.

"A tournament?" He raised a delicate eyebrow in her direction.

"Yeah. The winner becomes king of the world."

"Idiotic." He shot down her bubble of joy. "What do you think would happen if some lunatic became king?" He growled. "Foolish Miko…"

"Suppose your right." She sighed.

Only a fool would think of such a stupid idea…

She smiled as she walked down the street once more. She couldn't hold in her happiness, feeling full of energy from the food she ate in the restaurant.

"What do you think we should do now?" She asked.

"Go home." He suggested.

"Request denied." She laughed as she felt his glare boring into her back.

"You should really learn how to treat a lady." She scolded him.

"You are no lady."

"Humph!" She snorted in an unladylike fashion.

"My point exactly."

"Well then, you should find yourself a real woman."

"Are you suggesting I find myself a mate?" He questioned her. She could tell there was a hint of amusement held in his words.

"I mean, if you wait any longer you will be old enough to be my great-great-great-great-great grandfather by the time you get the ball rolling."

"I find females to be a nuisance. They are worthless, and they only live on this world to bother me every minute of my day."

"What the hell gave you that impression?" She objected.

"You." He stated.

"W-What?"

"You barge into my office, while I am working, at least three times a day." He reminded her. "And it's because you are bored, and somehow think I am going to entertain you in someway." She flinched. He was right… "Or you wish to 'chat' and babble on about how your day went. As if I was interested in your senseless chatter…"

"I-I do not!" She defended herself, though she knew he was right. She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest in a rebellious attitude.

"Should I remind you why we are even on this 'date' of yours?" He spoke. "You went into my office and asked me to spar, because you were bored."

"N-No!" She growled. "I wanted to see if you gotten rusty…" She mumbled an excuse.

"Right…"

"You're the one to talk!" She announced, pointing an accusing finger at him. He smirked at her heated expression, somehow finding her anger amusing. "You rejected my offer for a spar! You have _never_ done that." His expressing flashed into that of a guilty one, but quickly changed back into his emotionless facade. She sighed, turning her head away, her anger instantly deflated. So, he did feel bad about it…

She blinked in surprise when she felt him gently grip her chin, lifting her head up to look into his golden orbs. She was shocked to see a soft expression upon his face.

"This Sesshomaru apologizes." He whispered.

"Ah, so the great Sesshomaru _can_ actually apologize?"

"I know when I have done wrong."

"I thought you never regretted anything?" She questioned, a smirk placed unto her face.

"Do not push it, Miko." He warned her, sending a familiar glare.

"I know." She gave him a soft smile, feeling happy.

She felt him gently caress her cheek, moving up her jaw line, before resting his clawed hand on top of her head. He patted her head in praise, and then moved past her, continuing down the street. She blushed, and then quickly turned around, running to catch up with him.

"Hey…" She whispered, trying to get his attention. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, showing he was listening. "Can I have that in writing?" She questioned. He raised a delicate eyebrow, not understanding. " _'This Sesshomaru apologizes'_." She giggled. "It would look great hanging on the wall in my room."

He gave a deep chuckle and mumbled something about silly females. She laughed, feeling extremely lucky to have a friend like him.

She gasped as she was flooded with the feelings of joy and pleasure. She gave soft ooh's and ahh's. Her eyes filled with happy tears, unable to control herself.

"I am not buying you another sword, Kagome." He once again, burst her bubble of joy.

"Aww…" She whined. "Why not?"

"You already have several."

"But this is a Scimitar!" She exclaimed holding up the sword. "Look at the blade and the detailed carved into the hilt. The balance is perfect and-"

"I am not buying you another sword." He repeated himself.

"But just think of the damage I could do with this if I get on horseback and charged my enemy!"

"You don't know how to ride a horse." He argued.

"I can learn?" She tried to reason with him.

"No."

"I won't bother you for a day."

"No."

"A week." She haggled.

"…" He seemed to be considering it.

"A month! Take it or leave it."

"Hmm…." He placed his clawed hand underneath his chin in thought. "Alright." He gave in to the deal.

"Yay!" She cheered.

She smiled a bright smile, happy she got her weapon. Then something on another vender's stall caught her attention. She paused in her praise and stared at the small object. Intrigued, she put the sword back onto its perch on the table, and slowly strolled over to the vender across the street.

When she reached her target, her eyes softened. She carefully reached down and grabbed the small trinket. A warm feeling over took her as she stared at the cute item. She looked around the table, finding all sorts of random things scattered all over the wooden table. She sighed when she did not find another one similar to it. But they came in a pair…

"I am only buying you one thing." A cold voice behind her warned.

"Then I'll take this." She did not hesitate on her decision.

"What about your sword?" He seemed surprised she would leave it behind.

"This is much cuter." She told him.

"Cute-?"

"Don't you know anything about women?" She rolled her eyes.

"You're not a normal woman. A moment ago you were imaging slicing a man in half with that sword, while riding on a horse."

"Well I changed my mind."

"Now you're sounding more like a woman." She could practically hear him holding back a chuckle.

"Are you going to get this for me, or not?" She questioned, holding out the small trinket in her hand.

"What is it?" He reached out and gently grabbed it with his clawed hand. He raised it up to his eye level and started at it intensely.

"It's a charm." She announced. "You're supposed to attach them in places like packs, clothing, necklaces. You can even put them on the hilt of your sword."

"But it's you…" He noticed. His stare turned into an icy glare, as he looked at the small mini-doll. Though it was small, it had to be for a charm, it was extremely detailed, and you could easily tell who it was by looking at it.

"Isn't it neat?" She grinned.

"Who would want a charm of you? You just bring bad luck." He stated, handing the small item back to her.

"Well, I thought it looked cute." She sighed. "I looked, but it doesn't seem like they have one of you."

"Why would they have one of me?"

"I am always around you, I am your bodyguard. So if they have one of me, they must have one of you. We are never seen outside the castle alone."

"Why would you want one of me anyway?"

"I thought it would be cute to see a little Chibi Sesshomaru with a small frown on its face and an evil glare in its eyes." Feeling his 'evil glare' bore into her she laughed.

"So, you really are going to get that?" He asked.

"Of course."

"What for?"

"I thought it would be a good idea to buy something that I could keep with me, so I can remember all the fun we had today."

"Hmm…" He sighed. "At least it is cheaper then the sword."

"Yeah." She smiled.

She tried to hold in her giggles of joy, as she walked down the street, charm in hand. Every time she would look at the doll her body would feel warm and her cheeks got flushed. She glanced at the demon lord walking beside her and gave a small smile.

"Why do you seem so happy about that toy?" He questioned.

"Because, every time I look at it, it reminds me of the time when the great Sesshomaru actually apologized." She laughed. "Its better then any writing stuck to the wall, that's for sure."

"…" He sighed. Wonder if he regrets saying it? She smiled. Oh well, can't take it back now! Her eyes shined with new life as she stared at the castle that was in the distance.

"Hey…" She spoke, trying to get his attention. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, showing he was listening. "It's not late yet. When we get back, you want to play a round of Go with me?" She asked.

"Do not cry when you get beaten again." He warned.

"I have never lost. Those were tactical retreats." She argued.

"Well, you have successfully 'retreated' 1739 times and that leaves the score 1739 to 0"

"I'll win this time, just you see." She snorted.

He chuckled at her fiery attitude. She sighed as she felt instantly calmed by the deep rumble. Soon, she too, joined in the laughter…

Kagome sighed as she sifted though the junk in her closet. It seemed as though she had been searching in here forever. It had already turned dark and she didn't know how long she had been in her room looking for the Go board. Even though all seemed lost, and the more time she spent here, the more impatient he would get, she tried to stay on the bright side. She found several toys and items she thought disappeared centuries ago…

"HA!" She shouted, finally finding the infamous Go board and the stone pieces.

She smiled and pulled out the heavy wooden structure, placing the two containers, carrying the stones, on top. She quickly left the room, making sure to keep her balance so the containers would not fall off. It would be a hassle to clean up if she allowed the stones to spill on the floor.

She sigh as she walked down the hallway, glad that Sesshomaru's room was just a few doors down, and not on the other side of the castle. She placed the board on one arm and gave the door a gentle tap. She waited, but no one answered. That was strange, he told her to come here when she found the playing board…

She gave the door another tap and waited. When she didn't receive an answer she sighed and placed her hand on the doorknob. She gave it a soft twist. It was unlocked, so she let herself in.

She made sure to close the door behind her before turning around and stepping further into the room. The thing she noticed right away was the darkness that surrounded her. He never needed any kind of light to see, so the only source she had was the moon's rays shining in thorough the window. She sensed Sesshomaru's aura in the room, so she knew he was here…

Her blue orbs scanned the dimly lit room. What she saw made her almost dropped the Go board in surprise. She stood there, not sure what to make of the situation. Lying before her was Sesshomaru. He was_ sleeping _on his bed, his armor cast aside on the nightstand beside him. To say she was shocked was an understatement.

When she finally got her bearings she walked over to one of his dressers and placed the board gently onto the surface. After she placed the board and stones onto the expensive furniture she slowly strolled over to his resting form. To make sure she wasn't seeing things she rubbed her eyes and double checked. Yup, still there. She sighed. Why did he go to sleep? He only needed to sleep if he used too much of his energy- Then something popped into her mind. Work.

She felt her jaw tighten, upset with the fact that he allowed himself to get like this. How could he do that to himself? He was so busy doing all that work on the Three Kings; Doing all the paperwork, and looking though those old scrolls, he never took a break. And now look at him. The day he finally allowed himself one break he passes out waiting for her. She sighed. She wasn't sure if she should be upset, sad, or happy about this fact.

She looked upon his resting form, getting another good look. He was sleeping on his back, and a peaceful look was on his face. He did not have his armor, so she guessed he took it off while waiting for her, and somehow ended up passing out on the bed. The idea made a small smile play across her face. He must have been exhausted…

"He is so serious when it comes to work…" She slowly reached out and brushed away some of his bangs, revealing his well-known crescent mark. "It worries me." She whispered.

She carefully trailed her finger along the marking. He hadn't changed at all, even after all these years. She sighed. Why did he work so hard? Didn't he know that others worried about him, her included? She snorted. He never did like to show any kind of weakness. He was Sesshomaru after all, but even he must learn to rest.

She gently ran her fingers down his long silky hair. How did he take such good care of it if he was working all the time? Maybe Jaken washed it while he was working? She held back the urge to giggle at the image that played in her mind from the thought. He would most likely kill him if the toad touched his hair.

She remembered how Jaken always seemed on the wrong end of conversations, earning a kick to the head from the demon lord if he spoke out of turn.

"_You know, humans can go to the moon." She spoke to the demon lord, while looking at the full moon in the sky._

"_Do not lie to this Sesshomaru, Miko." He objected to the idea right away._

"_I'm not lying!" She whined._

Her expression softened as she looked upon the sleeping lord's face. It reminded her of a certain scene with a fox she had not to long ago…

"_Don't believe her Lord Sesshomaru! It's a trap!" Jaken shouted from across the campfire. A pebble flew towards the toad, hitting him on the head, knocking him onto the grassy floor._

"_Be quiet." He ordered. "My __patience__ to withstand your screeching __has__ run thin."_

"_Y-yes, Milord…" Jaken whimpered, rubbing the lump on his head while spitting out pieces of dirt stuck in his mouth._

She softly moved her touch down his jaw line, and across his cheek. She took extra care, and trailed her fingers across his magenta stripes. She remembered the first time they met. He tried to kill her. Now look; she was touching him while he was sleeping! She smiled. But she couldn't say he hadn't done the same thing…

She knew that he was the one who tucked her in the other night, when she fell asleep in his office, and that he was the one who touched her while she was resting. She knew because his cameral scent was all around her, and on her covers, so he must have tucked her in.

Was this some sort of pay back for that event? She almost laughed at the thought. No. Maybe it was because she felt a sense of peace when she was around him? She couldn't help but feel the need to be around his calming aura and strong scent. They always relaxed her, even after 500 years, he had not changed…

Had it really be that long? She questioned. She couldn't help but smile at the sweet memories she shared with the lord. It has not been exactly 500 years, but pretty close. She sighed. That meant she might have to leave him soon- She dreaded the moment when that day arrived. She had really gotten used to being around him, she wasn't sure if she was truly ready to leave his side.

They had been through so much together, and even though she said her life was dull, 500 years seemed to have flown by while she was with him. She slowly removed her hand and sighed. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the charm he bought for her. She smiled as she looked upon its details, her body flooding with a warm sensation. She reached over and placed the small trinket on the nightstand, on top of his armor. She gave a small laugh at the cute image of the Chibi her, sitting on his armor. She looked over to his sleeping form once more.

"I'll give this to you…" She whispered, even though she knew he would not hear her.

She sighed, wondering if she had done the right thing. It was hers after all, she did not have to. She smiled. But she wanted to…

The only thing she was worried about was what he would do with it once he woke up. She gave a soft smile, walking towards her Go board she left on the dresser. He will most likely melt it with his acid the moment he wakes up and sees the 'foolish' thing on his armor. She laughed, imagining a surprised Sesshomaru waking up and seeing it resting on his stuff.

She sighed, strolling up to the door, Go board positioned on her arm. She placed her hand on the knob and turned the handle. She looked over her shoulder, to the resting demon one last time.

"Goodnight, Sesshomaru." She smiled, and the door clicked, closing behind her.

Kagome grunted as she placed the board on the floor in the center of her room. She didn't feel like going though the trouble of putting it back into her closet, so she decided that was as good of a place as any. She yawned, and walked over to her bed. A familiar shine caught her attention and she looked down, seeing the jewel resting below her collar bone. She gave a sigh and pulled the necklace over her head.

She lazily plopped down onto her comforter and looked at the jewel resting in her palm. Its pink surface sparked with life as the fire from the candle danced across its surface. She stared at it for several minutes and her mind started to fog over with images that have long since passed.

"_Did you bring me my chocolate Kagome! I've been good, promise." He flashed a winning smile, and puffed out his chest._

"_Pervert!" A loud smack tore through the air._

"_Ah, lovely Sango, I was only testing your reflexes. You seem to keep them in top condition, even in the early morning…" He made an excuse._

A small smile played across her face. She missed them.

"_Woman! It's about time you got back!" A gruff voice called out._

Even him.

"_Kagome, what are you going to do now?" His boyish eyes sparked with unshed tears, fearing the worst. Fearing she will go home, back to her time, and never see them again._

"_I believe I am going to stay here." She smiled. Some of the people around the room became less tense once they heard her words._

"_Really?" He gasped, and his tail wagged back and forth in joy._

"_Really really." She giggled and patted him on the head._

She sighed. Even though so much had happened back then, that was the past, and the present was much different. They stayed together, until the barrier between the demon world and the human world was placed. After that point they all went their separate ways. She decided to stay with Sesshomaru, and go with him to the demon world; since she really didn't consider herself a real human. After all, she was no longer able to age. The only people she couldn't make contact with were Sango and Miroku's family. They were the only true humans that were in the group, so they had to stay on Earth.

She believed that was for the best. They never wanted their children or grandchildren to get caught up in demons, and the bloodshed that always seemed to follow in their wake.

She yawned and stretched out onto her bed, getting comfortable. Inuyasha and they were all on this world. They were able to see her anytime they wished, yet they hadn't visited in a long time. They had their own lives now. Yet it surprised her every time one of them showed up, and they acted the same as they did 500 years ago. Did demons ever change? She gave a small laugh, and then yawned again.

Koga still called her his woman, even though he had a mate of his own now, Shippo was still carefree and Inuyasha was still stubborn. Her eyes fogged over as so many memories flooded her mind. She missed them. Wonder when they will visit her again? She hoped it was soon. After all- She sighed- A special day was coming up soon and- She yawned, her eyelids drifting closed- Knowing them, they'd show up late…

Yoko gracefully jumped from one ledge to the next, until he came to his target. He gently pushed the window open and stepped inside. Lately she had been leaving it unlocked. Wonder if it was because of him? He did not know- Something on the floor caught his attention. He smirked, realizing what it was.

"Didn't know she played Go." Maybe later he would show her how a true master played? He chuckled.

A small movement to his side distracted him yet again. He looked over and his eyes widened with shock. It couldn't be- He quickly denied it, calling it an illusion. He strolled over to the bed, just to make sure. He looked down at the woman in disbelief. She couldn't- She wouldn't-

His eyes narrowed at the jewel resting loosely in her palm. She was lying on her side, and she looked tried, but why would she openly let her guard down like this? This must be a trap. He watched her movements for several minutes, but she did not do anything.

After he deemed it safe he slowly reached his hand out to take his prize. Finally, the jewel would be his. The powerful treasure he had wanted to obtain for so long would be his. Though it had taken longer then he calculated, he got his prize-

The image of Kagome's smiling face appeared in his mind.

He stopped and growled. What was that? He brushed it aside and started moving towards the jewel once again, being extra careful not to disturb her.

"_This coming from a fox that got caught in my trap."_

He flinched his hand away, as if burnt. He knew it was a trap! He stared at her face, but then raised an eyebrow as he watched her twitch her nose, a rouge hair falling upon it. She wasn't awake? Then why did he hear her voice- He sighed. Did that mean that this woman had somehow snaked her way into his conscience? He shook his head in disbelief. Of course not. He was Yoko Kurama! He didn't have guilt when it came to stealing…

He was a ruthless thief who would do anything to get his treasure. He was cold, and controlled. He planned everything perfectly then he made his move. He-

"_A sly fox who has ventured a little to far from his den, hmm?"_

He sighed.

_"Do not be so sad. It was not your fault. You couldn't have done anything." She tired to reassure him._

He took a deep breath. His chest felt constricted and his body seemed heavy. He placed his hand over his face, trying to will the images away from his mind. He lowered his hand and looked at her.

_Ps. Stop staring at me while I'm sleeping, you pervert…_

He smiled. Reaching over, he removed the stray hair that was bothering her, tucking it behind her ear. She sighed in relief and a soft smile appeared on her face. His expression softened as he stared at her. He looked down at her hand once more. He slowly reached down, his hand hovering over the jewel. He sighed and carefully closed her fingers around it. For some reason, he didn't feel like stealing it tonight.

He turned around and softly walked to the window. He placed his hands onto the rim, but stopped. He glanced at her resting form one more time.

"Later." He promised. "I'll get it later…" With that said, he jumped through the window, out of sight.

Yeah, later…


	10. Kagome's Special Day

Kagome sighed as she lay in bed, not wanting to get up just yet. She rolled over and groaned as the sun hit her form, making her scrunch up her face in discomfort. She pulled the covers over her head, not wishing to confront the world right now. Sighing one more time, her eyes started to flutter open underneath the comforter. Well, she was already awake now, couldn't go back to sleep after that kind of wake up call. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? She was up all night, unable to sleep. Too nervous and excited about the next day-

"Today-!" She shot out of bed, her eyes wide. "I almost forgot!" She couldn't believe it.

Taking several deep breaths she tried to calm down. She got out of bed slowly, already feeling more relaxed. Her bare feet touched the hardwood floor and she sighed in relief. She looked around the room and her eyes stopped at something hanging on her dresser. A small smile played across her face as she walked up to it. She reached up and ran her fingers across the silky material, a soft expression showing itself. It was a beautiful black Kimono with stars all around it and Sesshomaru's signature crescent moon in the back. A long, dark blue obi also was resting on top of the dresser. She gently grabbed the silky Kimono and pulled it off of the hanger, pressing it against her body in a small hug.

"I love it!" She giggled in joy and started to twirl around the room, extremely happy. She pulled it up to her body and looked in the mirror. "He knows me all too well…" She smiled and hugged the cloth once more, a small blush spread across her nose.

She smiled as she stood in front of the wooden door. Straitening her outfit she shifted in nervousness. She shook off any uneasy feeling and gave the door a gentle tap.

"Enter." A cold voice commanded from the other side. She sighed and walked inside, closing the door behind her.

"Sesshomaru." She greeted.

"Kagome." He greeted her as well, not looking up from his papers.

He was still worried about the Three Kings? She strolled over to his desk, and walked around it. She tilted her head at him, looking at the paper over his shoulder. So, he was writing on a scroll? Must have found something important. He had such graceful handwriting- He continued to write on the scroll until he got to the bottom of the paper, he sighed and placed the pen in its holder. He slowly turned his head and looked at her.

"It looks good on you." He complimented her, checking over the outfit.

"T-thank you." She resisted the urge to blush.

"I know how you like to display your clothing in strange manners, so I had it custom made." He told her.

"I do not wear them strangely." She argued.

She then looked down at her clothes. She was wearing the Kimono more like a robe, and tied it very loosely, allowing her legs to show. Her obi resembled that of Sesshomaru's and was stationed in the front, instead of in the back like people normally wore them. Her chest was open, but it did not show anything except for the jewel, shining below her collarbone. Even if it did, her chest was bandaged…

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Kimonos are so constricting and tight if worn normally. What would happen if we got attacked and I couldn't give him a round-house-kick in the face?" Chuck Norris style…

"It would be catastrophic." He stated with a smirk.

"Yeah, who would defend that sarcastic attitude of yours?" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, I find it to be very comfortable this way."

"As long as you're happy."

"Really?" She smiled, glad he thought about her feelings.

"Yes." He sighed. "If you're occupied by your foolish excitement, then you can stay out of my hair long enough for me to get some work done."

"Jerk…" She whispered. He chuckled at her spiteful spirit.

"I only speak the truth."

"Urgh!" She balled her hands at her side, glaring at him. He seemed to find her anger amusing for he couldn't stop smirking. "You just find this so hilarious! Don't you!"

"I am quite amused by your senseless emotional outbursts." He chuckled. "They release tension from my work."

"I am so~o glad I could help you with your stress by entertaining you!" She growled.

"You should be so honored…"

"UghhhHHH!" She snarled and leaned down, pressing her forehead against his in a challenge. "You- You-"

"Yes?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at her in amusement.

"Of all days, you had to do this to me today!" She took a deep breath, and sighed as his relaxing scent suddenly subdued her anger, leaving her feeling…unfulfilled.

"Kagome." He whispered her name, surprising her. He reached up and touched her cheek. "Go." He ordered. "Have fun today. You deserve it." His expression softened and he gave her a rare, happy smile. Heat appeared and stretched across her cheeks in embarrassment.

"Don't think this is over…" She warned, and gave his forehead another gentle nudge with hers. "I'll get you back." She poked him in the chest and he gave a light chuckle.

"You need to find better hobbies. Your silly actions will cause you trouble one day…" He gave her cheek a gentle pat of encouragement and then finally removed his clawed hand. She huffed and stood straight.

"But my goal is to annoy you as much as possible, for it is my own source of entertainment."

"So I've noticed…" He turned back towards his paper and started to scan over the words. Her expression softened as she stared at him. She bent down once more and gave his cheek a soft peck. His body instantly stiffened and she giggled.

"Thank you for the Kimono, I love it." She smiled at him as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"You're welcome." He sighed. "Now leave. You have imposed in my work long enough for me to withstand for one day."

"Of course." She let another small laugh escape her lips as she turned around and walked to the door. As she was about to leave through the wooden structure she stopped, and looked at him over her shoulder. "Who would have thought such a grumpy old Lord would turn into such a kind demon…"

"I let you live this time, but you won't be so lucky if you try that again..." He warned.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She giggled. "It's the thrill from the danger that makes me 'happy'."

"Goodbye, Kagome…" He shooed her away, motioning with his hand without even looking away from his work.

"See you tomorrow, Sesshomaru." She smiled and the door clicked, closing behind her.

He paused in his reading and sighed. Reaching into his Kimono, he pulled something out and held it over his desk in front of him. He stared at it intensely, taking in its detailed structure. Suddenly, his expression softened and he gently rubbed the doll's cheek with his clawed thumb.

"_I'll give this to you…" She mumbled, even though she knew he would not hear her._

"Kagome…" He whispered. A small smile showed itself on his face and he sat the charm off to the side of the desk, out of the way.

He went back to his paperwork, but every now and then he would pause and steal a glance at the small doll that resembled her so much…

Kagome sighed as she walked down the hallway, back towards her room. She looked down at her clothes and a blush spread across her cheeks again, unable to control it. She smiled, grabbing the edge of her sleeve, and raised her hand to her face, the long sleeve softly pressed against her cheek. She giggled, enjoying the silky material touching her skin.

"Milady!" A familiar voice echoed down the hallway. She paused in her stride and turned around. She smiled, seeing Kage strolling toward her.

"Kage." She greeted. "It nice to see you today."

"Lady." He bowed when he finally reached her. "That outfit looks stunning on you." He complimented her.

"Oh stop it, your making me blush." She laughed, giving him a playful slap on the shoulder. The small contact made his wings twitch. She started at them intently, wishing to touch them, but she knew she shouldn't- Which only made them more tempting. "Was there something you wanted to speak to me about?" She asked, trying to keep her mind off of his beautiful raven wings.

"Yes. I found out about today so…" A small, almost unnoticeable blush spread across his nose. "I know it means a lot to you-" He kneeled and reached his hands out, a sheathed sword held within them. "I got you a gift."

"Kage…" She smiled and happily took the gift. When she did, he stood up and looked down at her, watching her reaction. Unsheathing it she examined the blade and her body started to tremble in excitement. "It's amazing!" She exclaimed, rubbing her hand across the detailed carvings engraved into the blade.

"I'm honored that Milady is pleased-Oomph!" He was interrupted when she crashed into him, hugging his neck in joy. "Lady Kagome- umm…" A blush spread across his nose, down his neck and over his ears, showing his embarrassment.

"I really like it! Thank you." She gave him a bright smile, releasing him from her hug.

"Umm…" He was speechless.

"Are you busy today?" She asked.

"I have to train the men-"

"Today, I am going to give you a break." She announced.

"Really?" He sounded surprised.

"Of course, you deserve it." She patted him on the chest.

"Thank you, Lady Kagom-"

"Today you will be assigned to be my personal bodyguard!" She exclaimed, a bright smile on her face. "Today, I would like to relax and not have to worry about anything, so I need someone to look after me while I have a small vacation. It's the only way I can completely relax without any worries."

"But I thought you were giving me the day off?" He looked confused, his wings twitching.

"I said I would give you a break. Being my bodyguard is less stressful then training and looking over the army." She stated.

"But Milady-"

"Are you refusing my offer?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"But I-"

"I haven't given this job to anyone." She told him. "You are the only demon I trust, and by doing so I to put my life in your hands, Kage."

"Milady…" His blush reddened, and he stood straight, proud. "I am honored-!" He gave her a low and respectful bow.

"Good!" She grinned. "Now go fetch me a bottle of wine!" She ordered. "I would like to celebrate this wonderful occasion with a delicious drink!" She smiled and turned around, walking back toward her room, leaving the confused demon standing in the hallway…

Kagome was sitting on her bed, drinking her red wine that Kage was so kind enough to fetch for her. She smiled, taking another sip from her glass while crossing her legs. She sighed as the tangy flavor slid down her throat, leaving her wanting more. She hummed to herself and looked out of her window at the clear sky. Maybe she should go out today?

She shrugged at her own question, not sure of the answer. She didn't feel like going out alone. Then again, she wouldn't be alone, Kage was guarding her and he would have to follow her wherever she went. She sighed, quickly rejecting that opinion. He never lightened up when he was working, so going out with him would be like going on a date with a vegetable. He was so serious when he was working- Just like someone else she knew…

She swirled the red liquid softly, watching its hypnotic movements in a bored manner. Today was the day she was supposed to relax and take a break from her regular duties, but it was strange; she couldn't think of anything to do. She gave a small huff. Had her life really gone to the extent of being unable to actually relax? She shook her head. No, she was just bored. Placing the glass onto her nightstand beside her bed, she closed her eyes, wondering what she could do today.

A soft breeze blew through the open window and she sighed, enjoying the moment as it brushed across her skin and gently brew her hair around. Wait a minute- She paused in her musings. The window was locked- She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the opened window. She raised an eyebrow, questioning it. She glanced around the room, but did not see anyone. Rolling her eyes, she blamed the strangeness on the wind, and left it at that. She stood up and walked towards the window. It gave a soft click, and she sighed once again. Waiting a few moments longer she stared onto the horizon of trees, just beyond the stone wall.

For some reason she was hoping it was Yoko, sneaking into her room once again. She resisted the urge to snort the moment it came to her mind. Her wishing for him to appear? That was unheard of. But then again, it had been several weeks since she had last spoken to the thief, and she had to wonder what he was up to. She shrugged and slowly turned around, away from the scene.

"Ah!" She gave a small squeak as she hit a wall that was placed directly behind her.

"I thought you were incapable of being caught off guard?" A deep voice, laced with amusement asked. Soon after a very soft rumble surrounded her small frame, as a chuckle escaped through the 'wall'.

"Hello Yoko." She greeted. A small smile crept its way across her features.

"Hello Kagome." He smirked, a fang poking out of his lips. She just shook her head and quickly bypassed him. After taking her glass from the nightstand she sat down on her bed, and crossed her legs. "What? No welcome back hug?" He pretended to be hurt, placing his hand over his chest and his ears drooped. She just gave a soft laugh, finding his act to be amusing.

"You were gone a long time…" She announced. "But that doesn't mean you deserve a hug." She plainly told him.

"You miss me?" He asked while walking up to her.

"Maybe." She smirked then took a small sip of her wine.

"I am glad to see you care so deeply for me."

"Just because I missed you, doesn't mean I care about you."

"So you admit that you missed me." Damn, he caught her red-handed…

"Umm… No?"

"Oh? Then I guess I heard wrong."

"Yeah, you must have." She took another sip of her wine, but then frowned, finding the glass empty.

"Allow me, ma'am." He gave her a soft bow, and extended his hand to take her glass. She smiled, but shook her head rejecting his offer.

"No thanks, I can get it myself." She stood and walked to her dresser, where the bottle was placed. "Don't want you drugging my drink with your strange plants."

"I would never do such a dishonorable thing."

"Right…" She laughed and pored more of the red liquid into her glass. "What are you really doing here fox?" She asked him while leaning against her dresser and taking a drink of her newly filled glass. "You went missing for the longest time, and you suddenly show up." She softly swirled the red liquid around in her glass, watching him closely. "And I'm guessing it's not because you wanted to see me in my new Kimono."

"I missed you." He plainly told her while slowly walking toward her.

"Oh?" You could hear the amusement entangled in her tone.

"Unlike you, I do not mind sharing my feelings with the one I find alluring." He smirked, finally reaching her relaxed form. Taking her free hand within his clawed one, he placed it onto his lips, giving it a soft kiss. "Though I must tell you, you do look rather delicious." She could feel his fangs grazing her skin as he smirked. He then showed his meaning by giving the back of her hand a small lick, tasting her. She could feel her cheeks heating up, so she pulled her hand away. "That's an improvement." He noticed, giving her a sly grin.

"What is?"

"You didn't shock me like you normally do." He reached up and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. "Though, even if you did, it would have been worth it. A burnt tongue is a small price to pay for your wonderful taste." She was about to roll her eyes, but then stopped, getting an idea.

"Really?" She gave him a soft smile and reached up, touching his cheek like he did to her. "You're sweet as well, you know that?" She purred. Immediately she saw confusion flash through his eyes and she tried not to laugh. "You know what else?" She grabbed a lock of his sliver hair and placed it to her lips, his charming rosy scent evaded her senses. "Your scent relaxes me." She dropped his hair and reached out, touching his chest. She wasn't surprised to find it nicely chiseled; after all, she crashed into it not to long ago. "And you're so strong…"

She could tell he didn't know what was going on, and was unsure of what to do. Unconsciously he flinched away from her touch and took a step back. She took a step forward, and that made him take another step back.

"I uhh…" For once he was at a loss for words. His mind must be reeling, wondering what was going on…

"You're quite good-looking as well." She complimented him, while taking another step forward. He took another step back. "How well are you with children?" She casually asked and batted her eyes at him. A small pink tint went across his nose and he took several large steps away from her, yet she continued to follow his every move step by step. "Why are you backing away? I'm not going to bite." She hummed.

"I'm not backing away."

"Oh really?" She took a step forward and he took a step back out of reflex.

She took another step, stalking her prey. She reached up and gently rubbed his ear. He jerked his head back, away from her touch. She took another step towards him yet her target anticipated the move and stepped back- Suddenly he stumbled and fell, landing on his rump with a hard thud, ending up on his back. She laughed and laughed as she watched him blink at the ceiling, confused and stunned at what just happened. He slowly pealed himself off of the floor and looked at his feet. All she could do is continue to laugh as he started at the Go board lying helplessly in the middle of the floor.

"I thought foxes were supposed to be quick and sly?" She questioned, amused. "Yet you fall over a simple object lying on the floor."

"You planned that…" He slowly stood up, and straightened his ruffled outfit.

"But of course." She gloated. "But it surprised me you were so winded you couldn't even reply to my advances with your usual witty comments." She still had the giggles, but she bent down, placing her glass onto the floor beside her, and started to pick up the scattered stone peaces.

"I was just taken off guard, that's all." He joined her, and started to pick up the pieces as well, placing them into their rightful containers. "Though I do admit your acting was quite good."

"Thank you." She smiled.

After that, there was a silence between them as they quietly picked up the pieces. The sound of the stones clicking and rubbing together was soothing to her in a strange way. She sighed and stared at the board. After that night she didn't want to put it away, hoping Sesshomaru would take up her offer and play a round with her, yet he was too busy to play-

"Hey!" She exclaimed.

"Yes?" He stopped his movements and looked at her curiously.

"Would you like to play a round with me?" She asked, hopeful.

"Why, I was just about to ask you to a game, but it seems you beat me to it." He gave her a soft smile and emptied his last stones into the container.

"Great!" She flashed him a happy smile and plopped down onto the floor. He gave a small chuckle and sat on the other side of the board, getting comfortable. "White or black?" She placed the two containers on top of the board to give him a choice.

"Hmm…" He reached out and picked the bowl with the white stones. "You want to place some extra stones onto the board to give you a fair chance?" He wanted to give her a handicap. "You can put as many stones as you like, but no mater how many extra stones you place, you won't win." He gloated. Well isn't he confident…

"No, it's alright." She declined. "I'm pretty good at this game."

"Oh?" His ears twitched as he looked at the blank board, waiting for her to make her move, because black always goes first. "I'll be surprised if you even make it out of this battle alive."

"We'll see…" She smirked and placed her stone onto the board, signaling the start of the match.

There was strong silence between them as the both stared at the board intensely. The air was deadly quiet as their focus was transfixed onto the wooden structure, as it showed the completely obvious outcome of the game. One person had a winning smirk plastered onto their face, but the other-

"Impossible…" He whispered. His golden orbs were filled with confusion and utter bafflement.

"Yeah!" Kagome cheered, lifting her hands high into the air.

She then proceeded to dance around the loser in a ritual of shame and defeat, completely rubbing his face in it, and finally brining him off of his high horse because she total kicked his ass-!

"Wooo!" She laughed, taunting him, but he only continued to blankly stare at the board, trying to figure out what he did wrong. She then bent down and grabbed her wine, about to pore herself another helping; after all, she deserved it after that amazing game. "I so~o stomped you…" She started to laugh again, but then paused and frowned, finding the bottle empty. "Well, the round did last a long time…" She sighed and walked to the door, swinging it open. She quickly stepped into the hallway and-

"KAGE!" She yelled, not seeing the raven demon that was supposedly guarding her. "KAGE-"

"I'm right here…" An annoyed voice called near her. She turned around and saw him standing directly beside her.

"Oh, there you are."

"Was there a reason you wished me to become deaf, Milady?" He reached up and rubbed his ears, trying to will the loud ringing away.

"Well you shouldn't hide yourself in the shadows like that." She argued.

"I was right here the whole time, standing in the open." He objected.

"That's not the point." She stated. "The point of the matter is: I am out of wine."

"What does that have to do with me-"

"You're my bodyguard, correct?"

"For today, yes-"

"How am I suppose to enjoy myself, as I'm kicking Yoko's butt in Go, if I can't have the proper refreshments?"

"Heaven forbid you get thirsty…"

"Damn straight! It might cost me a life or death decision-! Isn't your job supposed to be to guard my life?"

"You losing in a game has nothing to do with your actual life milady-"

"I would get dehydrated. My lips will crack and split. I could get throat cancer!"

"You'll get throat cancer if I don't get you a bottle of wine?"

"Yes?"

"…" He looked at her, then slowly raised his pointer finger to make a statement, and opened his mouth to say the obvious flaws in her theory. "That-" He paused, rolled his eyes and shook his head, deciding not to argue with her. "Very well. As you wish, Milady." He gave her a low bow, and she smiled.

"Thank you Kage." He nodded and turned, going down the hallway. "Umm-!" She called to him, catching his attention. His ears twitched, and he paused in his stride before turning back around.

"Yes? Is there something else, Lady Kagome?"

"Thank you for putting up with me, even if it is just for one day." She gave him a small incline of her head, to show her appreciation. "This means a lot to me."

"It is my duty to serve you, Kagome." He gave her a smile.

"Hmm…" She couldn't help but smile back at his softened expression. She reached up and gently touched his cheek in a friendly manner. "How about you get me a few bottles extra as well?" Adding to his chore. "Then you can just take the rest of the day off? Have a real break, no strings. I promise." She offered.

"But…" He seemed conflicted with the idea.

"You deserve it, and besides, I have Yoko with me."

"Yes, the fox. That's what worries me." She just laughed and patted his cheek in encouragement.

"Just take my offer, crow."

"…" He sighed. "As you wish."

"Good." She turned around and walked back to her room.

She would have to give him an extra bonus in his next pay check. She smiled to herself as she heard the door click, signaling it was closed. She would miss joking with him when she left. She sighed. Yet she knew he was more then capable enough to take her place when that time arrived-

"Shall we play another game?" An inviting voice called to her. She looked up and was greeted with molten golden staring back.

"Only if you wish to get your ass kicked again." She warned.

"I have studied the game over and over." He told her. "I memorized your movements and decided on the perfect counter moves for them."

"Oh?" She smirked. "My moves weren't so predictable before, what makes you think you can win against me this time?"

"I underestimated your skills, it won't happen again." He reached out, grabbed her chin gently and tilted it higher, giving him better access to her neck. "Though I must confess…" He placed his nose to her expose throat and inhaled deeply. "Getting bested by you has ignited a deep and passionate flame within me. No one has beaten me before; it's a thrilling experience…" He smirked, his fangs pushing against her skin. "Especially since the one who did so is as beautiful and alluring as you…" He purred.

"I was trying to make you feel miserable, not turn you on, you crazy fox." She huffed and pushed him away. While walking to the board she mumbled how idiotic and silly he was acting, yet a tint of pink was clearly visible across her nose…

"Your strategies are quite unique." He complimented her as he thought about his next move carefully.

"Thank you, you're not too bad yourself." She replied, taking a small sip of her wine.

"Hmm…"

The sound of his stone clicking against the wooden board sang into her ears, signaling he finally made his move. She looked down and was surprised to see he actually made a very clever move. He was nothing compared to Sesshomaru, but he was very good at this game indeed. She smiled, grabbed her stone and placed it onto the board. It too, made a click as it hit the hard surface.

"That did not take much thought…" He noticed.

"It's only a basic defense move." She announced.

"I see that, but why are you defending in that manner? It's a simple counter. You had other, more promising moves open."

"Did my move throw you off your grove, fox?" She smirked, staring at him over the rim of her glass.

"Of course not." He reached into his container and pulled out one of his stones, about to place it onto the board. "Its just you didn't think very long on your move."

"I didn't have to think, you only placed that stone there to test me and see how I would react." His movements faltered and he almost dropped his stone in surprise. She gave a small laugh at his comical mess-up. His ears twitched and he gave a soft smile, placing his stone on the board.

"You have a lovely laugh…" He complimented her yet again.

"Flattery won't win you the match, fox."

"No, but I would like to hear it more often. Your voice is quite soothing to my sensitive ears. Not only that, but your not as loud as the other females I meet."

"Glad to see I have started to grow on you." She smiled and placed her stone on the board.

"You have done much more then that to me, Kagome." He purred her name. "You have attracted me with your beauty and strength, hypnotized me with your angelic voice, and stunned me with your amazing skills at Go."

She couldn't help but smile at his exaggeration. As he looked at the board, deep in thought, she openly gazed at the fox. He seemed so happy and content sitting there, thinking of his next move. She had never really seen him in this light. He looked like his true self. So he'd finally allowed himself to relax around her? This fact made her feel happy for some reason.

"Yoko?" She called to him, catching his attention.

"Yes?" He looked up, and focused his golden orbs onto her.

"Would you like to share the rest of this wine with me?" She offered. Kage gave her an extra glass, as a joke of course. But why not use it and let him have a taste of this wonderful wine as well? No sense in having to enjoy it by herself. "I probably won't be able to finish it myself." She told him.

"I would be honored…"

She smiled at his usual charming attitude, and placed her glass onto the floor. She then gave him a nice helping of the red liquid and reached out, handing him the newly pored glass. He gave her a sly smile when taking his glass. Feeling his clawed hand barely brush against hers, she rolled her eyes. Any opportunity he had to try _something. _Though she was embarrassed to admit, she was enjoying the attention the fox gave her…

"Thank you." He nodded his head and raised his glass in thanks.

She just returned the motion, nodding her own head before placing the bottle beside the board, so they both could reach it. Slowly she reached down and picked up her own glass, but before she was able to take a sip she heard a pleased growl. She looked up and was surprised to see the fox smiling with his eyes closed. He hummed to himself and his ears drooped in relaxation. She almost laughed at the sight as he was savoring the moment, while testing the flavor.

"Extraordinary…" He whispered his praise, while slowly opening his eyes. She was surprised to see such calmness in his golden orbs; she couldn't help but stare into them, getting lost in their fiery color. "It seems that you have once again impressed me. This wine is exquisite." He took another sip and sighed. "I believe I am falling for you all over again…" He stated with a sly smirk.

"It's not _that _good…" She rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her own drink. She heard a small click, so she looked down. She smiled, realizing he made his move.

"But to be so kind as to share this wonderful drink with me-" He paused, watching her closely as she took a stone from her container. "It touched me deeply, and just maybe, you have started to have feelings for me? Hmm?"

"Get real fox." She almost snorted at the idea. "I gave you a drink, there's nothing magical or special about it. It's just a drink."

"To you it might be a drink, but to me, it is another side of you that I wish to see more of."

"I am a kind person by nature." She stated, finally placing her stone onto the board. "I just wasn't kind to you, there's a difference."

"That hurts…" He smirked playfully, while taking another drink of his wine.

"Well, what do you expect? We were strangers."

" '_Were' _?" His ears twitched, and his raised his eyebrow in question. "Does that mean we are more then that now? Friends, perhaps?"

"Maybe." She smirked. "I am starting to trust you, but that doesn't mean we are friends."

"Trusting a thief? You sure that's wise?"

"No. That's why it's exciting…" She gave him a sly smirk, while looking at him over the rim of her glass. "Are you going to make your move, fox?"

"As you wish…" He smiled to himself, and placed his stone onto the board with a soft click.

"Ah-Ha! Checkmate!" She exclaimed, while placing her stone onto the board.

"This is not chess, Kagome." He stated, though he tried not to laugh at her happy outburst.

"I can call it whatever I want, because the fact is, that I beat you- Again!" She cheered while taking a huge swig of her drink. He couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.

"I must admit you were rather challenging and in the end you bested me." In his favorite game no doubt. He gave her his famous smirk, and she returned it with a small smile. He wasn't angry with the fact that he lost. Actually, it was a nice change in pace to lose to someone as good as her.

"Yeah, I owned you…"

"I'm sorry, but even if you beat me in a game, you cannot own me. I'm not a pet." He objected. "Then again…" He leaned over, taking her chin gently so she was looking into his golden orbs. "I wouldn't mind being your pet if I get to stay around such a wonderful master…" She gave a soft laugh, making his ears twitch at the sound. She then pulled away from his grip.

"Not owned like that- I mean-" She sighed. "It's a word human's use. It expresses something, like slang for another meaning." She then stood up, and walked over to her bed.

"I see…" He thought for a moment. "You know a lot about humans." He noticed.

"I find them intriguing." She then sat onto her bed, crossing her legs.

His focus was quickly zoomed onto her shapely calves. To say he wasn't interested in the woman physically was a lie. She was very beautiful, and had a great form. He always thought so, but today was different. Today she had to be wearing _that_…

The Kimono itself was wonderfully made, and looked very expensive. Yet the thing that made it look even more so was the woman wearing it. She wore it loosely, yet it molded to her form in such a way, it flattered her figure. All day he couldn't help but take glances at her legs, noticing how long and smooth they looked. But now she was sitting on the bed, and they were fully exposed, like were when he first arrived. As he slowly scanned her creamy skin from toe to thigh, he had to wonder if they went on forever…

A soft sigh caught attention and broke him from his thoughts.

"It's already late…" She mumbled while taking a sip of her drink, and looking out the window. "Time just flies by when you're having fun I guess."

"I am glad you enjoyed yourself." He watched as a small smile graced her features.

"Thank you, for today."

"Hmm…" He slowly stood up and walked over to her. "Today you seem…different."

"Oh?" You could hear the amusement laced in her voice. "How so?" She looked away from the window and smiled at him.

"You look happy." He stood in front of her, looking down at her relaxed form. "Besides that, you are drinking wine-" He paused. "Expensive and very good wine." He added. "Is there a reason?"

"Should there be a reason for a girl to have a little fun?" She questioned.

"If you're Kagome, yes."

In the months that he had observed her, and her life, he hadn't seen her drink one drop. Nor had he seen her take an entire day off of work to relax in her room. To not check on her army, or the status of the land, was not how Kagome operated. She was straight forward and powerful. She didn't completely relax like this, something was different…

"I do enjoy tasting delicious wine when it's the right occasion…"

"Right occasion? Is today special?" His interest was now peeked, and his tail slowly swayed back and forth, wondering different things that would possible make this day any different from the others. Was it because he appeared after so long? Though he would like to think so, it would be a definite 'No'. She was drinking the wine before he showed up-

"Today _is _special." She agreed, while taking another sip of her wine.

Maybe she got a promotion? No, you can't get much higher then Sesshomaru's bodyguard, other then being Sesshomaru himself. Her army defeated an enemy? No, he was gone for a long time, but that didn't mean he wouldn't have heard about it. Maybe- Maybe she has a kit- His tail immediately stopped swaying and his eyes hardened. No, he shook his head. He would have smelled it on her. And besides, she didn't have a mate mark.

"You give up yet? Or is your brain still working over time?" She asked, obviously amused by his internal struggle. "Why don't you just ask me instead of racking your brain, trying to figure it out?"

"I enjoy solving puzzles." He openly admitted.

"Oh?" She tried to act surprised. "Who would have guessed?" She spoke sarcastically. "Though I do find amusement in watching your ears twitch while you think, I am just going to tell you, save you the trouble." She laughed. He reached up and touched his ears. His ears didn't twitch…did they? "Today is my birthday!" She smiled happily.

"Congratulations." He gave a small bow. While he was bowing he reached over and grabbed her free hand, giving her knuckles a light kiss, like he always did. "May I ask how old is the birthday girl?"

"503" She announced with a grin. He couldn't help but smile at her cheerful expression.

"And you look as lovely as a 120 year old..." He complimented her.

"Why thank you, I try to keep my skin looking young and lively." She joked. He gave a small chuckle, releasing her hand. "Though I'm nowhere near your age…"

"Age is something only time can control…"

"Yes, well, I suppose your right." She seemed conflicted while staring outside the window once more. "If only today would last forever…" She mumbled. "Then I won't have to do paperwork ever again." He once again found a deep rumble escaping his chest.

"Come." He reached his hand out for her to take. She looked at his hand, then up into his golden orbs. "The night is still young…" He tried to reassure her. "I have something I wish to show you." He gave her a sly grin.

She seemed to be considering it, but then shrugged and placed her glass on the nightstand. Accepting his offer, she put her smaller hand into his, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. The act caused her to smile at him and he returned the gesture with his own smile.

He calmly strolled over to the window and pushed it open-

"Oh no…not the window."

"Yes, the window." He stated with a smirk.

"No." She backed away, but he had a firm grasp of her hand, preventing her escape.

"Yes."

"No." She stated, while her expression changed to an angry facade. He almost chuckled at the sight. Suddenly he pulled her close to his body, and she collided with his chest in a huff for the second time that day.

"Yes." He purred into her ear.

"N-" He quickly picked her up bridle style, stopping her from objecting- "NO!" But only for a moment. "No no no no no no no!" She started to kick and wiggle in his hold while he calmly walked to the opened window. "No- Don't you- No." She said in a stern manner. The only answer she received was a sly smirk. "Don't you dare…" She warned. He lowered his head very close to her face and whispered.

"Yes…" Her eyes widened with pure horror.

"NoooOOoo~Ooo~oOooo" She howled as they started falling to the grassy floor below. He just chuckled at her scream and continued his descend, ending it with a graceful and soft landing.

"Now that wasn't so bad was it?" He assured her of his perfect landing.

"Show off." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. He just smirked at her childlike behavior and continued to the stone wall that divided the castle from the forest.

"But I don't see why you gave me so much fight about that simple jump. I know that you are more then capable enough to take it."

"I can." She confessed.

"Then what is the problem?"

"If someone saw me jumping out of a window with a thieving fox…" Her voice slowly faded, showing her fear.

"It's fine, we won't get caught." He bent down once again and gave her a sly smirk. "Trust me."

"If I have to do any paperwork because of your shenanigans, I am going to be so~o mad at you." She then started to kick her feet once again. "And put me down!" She commanded.

"Just enjoy the ride…" He smirked, finally stopping in front of the 30 foot wall.

With a simple leap he scaled the stone structure, and landed softly on the other side. Before she had time to throw another fit, he sprinted off as fast as his feet would carry him. Trees and rocks flew past them in an unrecognizable blur. He sighed, enjoying the fast pace and the feeling of the wind against his frame.

As they were coming close to his destination he slowed down, coming to a stroll. He was surprised to find the woman in his arms to be completely calmed. He looked down as she wiggled in his hold, but did not say anything else.

"Enjoy it?" He asked with a grin on his face.

"Yes." She openly admitted.

"Good."

Now that she confessed her real feelings, he believed she deserved to be let down. So, he carefully placed her feet onto the ground, releasing her like she wished. He almost chuckled at the disappointed expression plaguing her features.

"You look very delicious with that saddened look on your lovely face." He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She quickly turned around, her back toward him. "Don't be that way."

"I thought you were taking me somewhere." She reminded him. "Not trying to steal me away just to flirt with me."

And she shot him down yet again. He sighed and shook his head, yet couldn't help but smile. That's why she was so interesting and such a challenge. He would savor the moment when he was able to take the jewel and finally leave this place…

He carefully reached over and took her hand. Without waiting for her to respond he started moving forward, through the forest once again. She followed behind him closely without saying anything. He could feel her move her fingers and look around every now and then, but other then that the walk was quiet. It seemed almost pleasant for some reason.

Every so often he would give her tiny hand a small squeeze, just to make silent conversation. She would then reply by giving his clawed hand a gentle, less powerful squeeze. A rare, soft smile crept its way across his face.

Soon, they would arrive. He had been there many times when he needed to relax or just have some time alone to think. He slowly turned his head, and stole a glance at the woman behind him. For reasons unknown he started to feel anxious. Why would he be nervous about her coming into this area? Could it be that he was worried that she might not like it? He shook his head, quickly objecting the idea. Why would he care if she liked his surprise or not? There must be another reason…

As he saw the darkened forest start to fade into a light source he smile, and his pace unconsciously quickened. Before she could grasp what was going on, he pulled her through some brush. Suddenly the trees stopped and they entered a large field.

He stood at the tree line and took a deep breath, waiting for her reaction. Turning his head he looked behind him. Seeing her amazed and completely dazzled expression, he smiled, a wave of relief washing over him. Slowly he released her hand and allowed her to grasp the situation. At first she hesitated, but then took several steps towards the field.

"They're beautiful…" She crouched down and touched one of the flowers. One of thousands that littered the entire field. "What are they?"

"They're called Lunardrops."

He slowly strolled forward and joined her, touching one of the flowers. The flower twitched, and its leaves rustled from his familiar contact. His expression softened as he looked upon its pearl white color, finding it rather alluring.

"Did you do this?" She asked, amazed. She was still touching the same flower. It wiggled around, as if ticklish from her touch.

"Yes." He smirked, proud. "Like it?"

"It's wonderful."

"This is just the start." He stood up. "Come." He reached his hand down for her to take.

"…" She gave him a soft smile and placed her hand onto his.

He pulled her up, and then started to stroll though the field of flowers. Once they were near the center, he released her hand and calmly sat down. She soon joined him and he reached between their bodies, touching another flower.

"They are just in a state of suspension." He told her. "Soon, you'll see their true beauty."

"But they are beautiful already…" She too, reached over and touched one of the flowers sitting beside her. "How could they be better then this?" He smiled at her curiosity.

"You'll see." He looked into the sky. He could feel a sly grin creep its way onto his face.

He glanced at the woman sitting beside him. Watching her fiddle around with his flowers, he couldn't help but smile. She looked happy- For some reason that made him feel happy as well. Wonder why? He shook his head, trying not to think about it.

He focused his gaze back to the sky. Watching carefully, he saw the moon slowly creep away from the dark clouds, finally revealing its wondrous light across the field. Hearing a small gasp coming from the woman beside him he smirked.

Soon small bubbles of white light floated into his line of vision, going towards the sky. He looked down and saw the female have a look of utter amazement and awe. She then giggled as some of the light purposely danced around her. They soon started to brush against her frame and hair, encasing her in a heavenly glow.

She then stood up, and started to dance around the field while laughing joyously. After a few moments of dancing with the small specks, she proceeded to try and catch them, as if they were fireflies. He chuckled at the cute scene wondering how such a simple thing could make her seem so innocent. His tail flickered back and forth across the grassy floor in amusement, as he continued to watch the grown woman play in the light.

He observed her for what seemed like hours, before she strolled over to him and extended her hand in an invitation. He looked at her outstretched hand for a few moments before he got up, and gently grasped it within his own clawed hand.

He pulled her close to his form and placed his free hand to her small waist. He then started to dance to imaginary music. She laughed, enjoying herself as she followed his movements, dancing around the large field. The small scene reminded him of the time they introduced each other at the lord's ball. But this was different. He was actually enjoying himself.

His expression softened as he looked down at the female dancing with him. He then raised his hand above her head, and she did several twirls, before ending in a low dip. He quickly pulled her back up and allowed her to spin outwards, away from him till she was arms length away. He then pulled her back, before making soft contact with his chest.

He then placed her into another, softer dip, their faces nearly touching each others. She gave him a warm smile, and a chuckle rumbled through his chest. She raised an eyebrow at him and his smirk grew. He suddenly released her, catching her off guard and she fell onto her rump with a hard thud. A pleased roar of laughter escaped his lips as he watched her face scrunch up in anger. She sent him a heated glare, but it only put fuel onto the fire, making him laugh harder.

"Jerk!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. He chuckled and kneeled down to whisper into her ear.

"You look very sexy when your angry like that…"

A loud crack tore though the night air…

Yoko grumbled as he rubbed his bruised cheek while sitting beside one of the trees. A few feet away was Kagome, wearing a pleased grin...

To say he was upset was the wrong word. He was surprised, but that was it. She hadn't struck him in quite some time; it shocked him when she finally did so, and over a small joke…

Women.

He snorted and stared into the starry sky. Only a few sparkles of the once voluminous lights were left. They softly hovered over the field, flickering in and out, adding an unearthly feel the area. He was used to the sight, but the woman was still amazed by the specks.

"Yoko?" She called to him.

"Yes?" He answered, not looking away from the glowing sphere in the sky.

"Thank you." She softly whispered, obviously appreciating what he did for her.

"…" There was a long pause. "You're welcome…"

There was a soothing silence between them after that. He took a deep breath, finding it relaxing. He looked down and saw her touching a flower beside her.

After the moon touched their bodies, they bloomed and the lights float out of their cores, lighting the sky with their own heavenly glow. That was why he liked them, so he thought she would like them too. And he was glad that she did…

He gazed back at the moon and let out a sigh. Why did he care if she was happy? Well, he supposed it was because it was her birthday. Might as well make it a happy experience if this day was special to her. Yet it was strange, most demons don't care about their age, yet she did. They lived so long; most demons stopped caring about their birthdays after their 200th anniversary. Yet here she is, 503 years of age and she celebrates it? It was unlike any other demon he had come across. She was strange indeed-

A sigh caught his attention, breaking his thoughts. He looked down just in time to see Kagome lay onto the ground, surrounded by flowers. They were just tall enough to cover her body, making him unable to see her from where he was sitting. He chuckled and looked back at the moon.

After that night, he came here to think for the longest time. He wondered why he didn't steal the jewel. Why he allowed her to keep it. He stayed here for what seemed like forever, as he tried to figure it all out, yet he would always end up with more questions instead of answers.

Maybe he was just feeling pity for her. Maybe he wanted to give her a lucky break. That might have been the only chance he would have to steal the jewel, and he allowed it to slip though his claws. Why? Why did it not bother him that he allowed one of the most powerful objects in this world to just go free?

He didn't come up with any answers to his questions so he decided to just try again. Maybe it was just a first time thing. He would get the jewel next time. He wouldn't hesitate and he'd capture what was rightfully his. Even if he gave her a second chance that night, she wouldn't be so lucky when it happened again.

So he went to her room today, finally making up his mind and feeling confident again. Then he saw her and his whole plan completely got off track. He started playing Go with her, to lighten up her mood and loosen her guard, but she easily beat him. The idea that she could beat him sent his mind reeling and nothing else mattered but beating her in that game…

His mind got off its intended course and he found himself enjoying her company more and more. Forgetting about the jewel; until now. He sighed once again. How could he allow himself to relax so much around her? He shook his head. That didn't matter now. He had to concentrate on his goal, the jewel. He could not fool around when it comes to something as valuable as that treasure she wore around her neck.

But he had to wonder: Why did she allow him such freedom? She let him say anything he wanted. Before, she enjoyed replying to his comments with smart remarks of her own, but it was different now. She still had her own sly comments, but she was mostly very relaxed around him. Why was that?

"Hmm…"

His tail tapped the ground as he thought about the answer. But it seemed this was another question he was unable to answer. Who knew what she was planning with this- Only Kagome knows- Well, he could always ask her? He almost rolled his eyes at the thought. Like she would openly tell him the answer. He then paused in his thoughts. She might…

"Kagome." He called to her. He waited several moments, but he did not hear a reply. "Kagome?" He spoke a little louder, and looked away from the moon.

He stared at the spot were he last saw her and watched for any movement. When he did not get any sign he stood up and strolled over to the spot. When she finally came within his view he paused in his stride. He stood there, looking down at her, mind blank.

She was sleeping…again.

He smirked and crouched down beside her. Just when he was thinking he wasn't going to get a second chance for a long time- And then here it is…

He slowly stretched his clawed hand, going towards the jewel resting below her collarbone. He paused, as if waiting for something to happen. He smirked, glad that no sudden voice appeared like last time. Calmly, he reached down and grasped the jewel. With no effort he cut the thin chain with one of his claws. He then slowly pulled the jewel away from her neck.

A fang poked out of his lips as he stared at the jewel resting within his palm. He stood up, towering over the sleeping female, his tail swished to and fro in joy. He turned around and started to calmly stroll away from his victim, taking his prize with him.

Finally, the powerful jewel was his, like he knew it would be. It just took a little longer then he planned, but he finally got his treasure. He raised the jewel to the sky, getting a closer look at it. Its surface sparkled from the reflection of the moon's glow, making his own golden orbs spark with pleasure. The blood in his veins heated up and he growled, pleased.

Now he could finally leave this place- He paused in his movements, and his tail stopped wagging. His ears drooped slightly as a heavy weight fell onto his chest.

He was going to leave, and never see her again- He shook his head and started to walk forward once more. Why would that bother him? He got what he wanted and-

"_Hello Yoko." She greeted. A small smile crept its way across her features._

Damn…It seemed his conscience decided to show up after all.

"_You were gone a long time…" She announced. "But that doesn't mean you deserve a hug." She plainly told him._

"Its mine. I rightfully stole it." He objected.

"_Just because I missed you, doesn't mean I care about you."_

"Shut up…" He hissed.

"_Hey!" She exclaimed._

"_Yes?" He stopped his movements and looked at her curiously._

"_Would you like to play a round with me?" She asked, hopeful._

"_Why, I was just about to ask you to a game, but it seems you beat me to it." He gave her a soft smile and emptied his last stones into the container._

He groaned, placing his hand over his face in frustration. His blood felt cold, and his chest was constricting. His hand around the jewel tightened into a clinched fist.

"_Impossible…" He whispered. His golden orbs were filled with confusion and utter bafflement._

"_Yeah!" Kagome cheered, lifting her hands high into the air._

Well, he did enjoy himself when he was playing Go with her…

"_You have a lovely laugh…" He complimented her yet again._

"_Flattery won't win you the match, fox."_

"_No, but I would like to hear it more often. Your voice is quite soothing to my sensitive ears. Not only that, but your not as loud as the other females I meet."_

"_Glad to see I have started to grow on you." She smiled and placed her stone on the board._

Without him even realizing it, had she really started to affect him in such a way? He couldn't help but question it.

"_You have done much more then that to me, Kagome." He purred her name. "You have attracted me with your beauty and strength, hypnotized me with your angelic voice, and stunned me with your amazing skills at Go."_

He shook his head. He only said that to impress her- He didn't really mean it…

"_I am a kind person by nature." She stated, finally placing her stone onto the board. "I just wasn't kind to you, there's a difference."_

"_That hurts…" He smirked playfully, while taking another drink of his wine._

"_Well, what do you expect? We were strangers."_

" '_Were' ?" His ears twitched, and his raised his eyebrow in question. "Does that mean we are more then that now? Friends, perhaps?"_

Friends…

He looked over his shoulder, at the sleeping girl lying on the grassy floor. Glancing at the jewel, he felt conflicted. He was not her friend. He was a thief. He was Yoko Kurama. The jewel was his now. He had it in his grasp. Why was he having second thoughts?

All was suppose to go according to plan. He had the jewel before, but he let it slip away. He believed that he would get it next time, and that time was now. A small pain hit his chest. He growled, and shook his head from any doubts. Frowning, he turned around and walked over to her, his shadow looming over her resting form.

This was her doing. She must have planned this all along. His golden orbs stared at her. She rolled onto her side and released a small sigh. His first plan was to steal the jewel and kill her- when did that change? He looked at the jewel transfixed by its pink aura. He took the jewel, and the thought of killing her didn't even cross his mind…

He crouched down beside her once again. After several minutes of just looking at her, he finally sat down beside her. He reached over and touched her nose. She wiggled it, but did not wake from the small contact. His expression softened as he stared at her. He slowly moved his hand up her cheek, caressing it softly.

He reached out, jewel in hand. He put the chain around her neck, and tied the cut piece back together. Removing his hands he stared at the jewel resting peacefully below her collarbone. Its surface shimmered brighter then before, as if showing it's gratitude. Slowly, he stretched his hand and ran his clawed fingers through her silky raven strands. Taking a small lock of her hair he placed it below his nose.

He took a deep breath, inhaling her intoxicating vanilla scent. This would be his payment instead. He carefully tucked the strand back behind her ear, a smile on his face.

"Happy Birthday…" He whispered.

Kagome rolled over, but then groaned as the sunlight hit her from, making her face scrunch up in discomfort. Damn sun. Why did it always have to wake her up- She paused in her thoughts.

When did she fall sleep? She tried to remember the last thing she did. She was with Yoko and-

She fell asleep near Yoko! Her eyes widened with horror and instantly moved her hand to her neck. Feeling the familiar surface of the jewel she sighed in relief. She slowly sat up, and looked around. She quickly realized she was in her room, on her bed.

Once she confirmed the jewel was safe, she looked down at her body; to make sure she still had her clothes on. No telling what that horny fox would do…Not to mention the outfit cost a pretty penny, so just to be sure…

After double checking that all of her clothes were on her, she raised an eyebrow, confused. She was alright…? Why?

"Ok, this is just strange…"

She would never think the fox would actually take her clothes, but after finding the jewel intact, she had to wonder- What did he do? He must have done something while she was sleeping. He wouldn't just let her keep the jewel and not do anything…Would he?

Why? She tried to think. It didn't make sense. He was a thief. He was supposed to steal things and do bad stuff…right? After a few minutes she started to get a whole new perspective of the cunning fox.

Maybe she was wrong, and all of this was just a sly trick to make her think she was safe, to let her guard down? She shook her head. He would have stolen the jewel the first chance he got. Why make it complicated?

She sighed, wondering what to do. Now she was at a loss and she was the only one to blame. She shouldn't have relaxed so much yesterday. Because of that she had fallen asleep without even realizing it.

She groaned in frustration before giving up and slamming back down onto the bed in exhaustion.

"It's all that damned fox's fault…" She changed her plan and blamed him.

After several minutes of lying on the bed, questioning her own sanity, she finally left her comforter and her feet touched the cold hardwood floor. She sighed as calmness flooded her from the chilling contact.

A soft wind blew across her frame and she smiled, enjoying the sensation. After the soothing breeze left she walked over to the open window. She was just about to close it when something on the windowsill caught her attention.

She reached down and picked up the beautiful yellow rose. She smiled to herself and placed the wonderful plant below her nose, taking in its soft scent. The aroma instantly relaxed her as it brought back the memory of last night in the field.

"Hmm…" She looked at the rose more closely, twirling it slowly. But why was it yellow…- Then it hit her. A yellow rose meant friendship. "Friendship…? But why would he-"

"_Does that mean we are more then that now? Friends, perhaps?"_

"_Maybe." She smirked. "I am starting to trust you, but that doesn't mean we are friends."_

Her expression softened as she continued to twirl her gift.

Friends…Just maybe…

That night she left a book on the windowsill, showing that she accepted…

_**Small Note:**___I made up the flower, just so you know.


	11. Unexpected Circumstances

Yoko carefully stalked his way into the room. After looking around the dark area he deemed it safe from any traps or people, so he relaxed, and slowly walked to the center of the room. On a pedestal, resting on a satin pillow, was his target. He calmly reached down and took the necklace. Raising the valuable object to his face, he got a good look at it.

"I went through all that trouble, for this?" It was worthless, compared to what the rumors were saying.

He believed he would find an expensive treasure locked away within these old rustic walls. But his information was obviously wrong. This necklace was worth, maybe, half of what he usually got out of his findings. He sighed, while lowering the necklace chest height.

Lately, since he failed twice to capture one of the most powerful artifacts on this world, he had felt unfulfilled. He believed he needed a break from the jewel and the woman who accompanied it. He thought he was losing his touch. His skills had gotten rusty, and he needed something to bring his old self back.

When he heard the rumor of an item trapped in this heavily guarded facility, he couldn't say no. He hoped the treasure would be worth the trouble, but it wasn't. It was just a ordinary sliver necklace with a blue stone. But he should have known better then to follow such a long shot. He was taking risks coming here, but he had thought it would be worth _something, _at least.

He sighed, staring at the necklace once more. The surface of the jewel dimly reflected his own image back at him. He watched as his ears twitched-

"_Though I do find amusement in watching your ears twitch while you think, I am just going to tell you, save you the trouble." She laughed. He reached up and touched his ears. His ears don't twitch…do they?_

He chuckled in amusement, realizing she was correct, they actually do move. Who would have thought? A small smile crept its way across his features.

As he looked at the jewel more closely he thought about the price he would get for it. Not much- It wouldn't even be worth taking back and selling. Yet he would hate to leave empty handed, especially after all the traps he went through to get here. He hummed to himself, deep in thought. He resisted the urge to chuckle as he watched his ears twitch in the jewel's reflection.

Getting serious he looked at the gem. It is a stunning color of blue- The image of Kagome's smiling face appeared in the reflection. Now that he thought about it, it did resemble her eyes. Such lovely blue pools. He couldn't count how many times he got lost, just staring into their deep color…

Every time he looked at the jewel he continued to think about her more and more. A rare smile showed itself on his face as he thought about the fiery female. An unknown feeling warmed its way through him. Maybe this necklace was worth the trip after all? He smirked, staring at the jewel's hypnotic beauty.

It reminded him so much of her, that he felt incapable of letting it go.

"Hmm." Maybe he should give it to her?

A taint of pink went across his nose as he thought of the idea. Why did he feel this way? Why did a mere jewel give him such a reaction? He shook his head. It wasn't the jewel; it was the woman that had him bewildered. He snorted. Bewitched, was a more suitable word.

How was it that she has intrigued him so much-

A loud clang rang into his ears, making them twitch in alert. He quickly spun around, seeing the door barred closed. Damn, a trap-! A piercing pain shot through his body and he roared in agony.

Kagome sighed as she sat in Sesshomaru's very comfortable chair, behind his desk. She uncrossed her legs, only to switch places with the other leg, while crossing them once again. She watched Kage's facial expression change into a serious one, and his forehead wrinkled, showing he was thinking very deeply.

Her ears twitched as she heard a familiar click. She smirked, realizing he had finally made his move, and reached into her bowl. She pulled out her stone and placed it on to the board that was sitting in the middle of the desk. She watched him carefully from the other side of the expensive furniture, wanting to see his reaction. Her grin grew into a pleased smile, when he didn't react any differently to her move.

He didn't realize what that move really meant. That was just the first step in her great plan to completely wipe him off of the face of this world! She chuckled evilly inside her own head.

Another click went into her ears, but she recognized very quickly that it wasn't the sound of the stones. She looked over and saw Sesshomaru walk into the room, his usual indifferent expression on his face.

"What are you doing?" He asked. You could tell he had a slight taint of anger laced within his words. She almost laughed at it, knowing he was mad because she was in his seat.

"What does it look like? We are playing Go." She motioned towards the board. He calmly started walking to his desk.

"You are in my chair." He pointed out.

"Yes, it's very comfortable."

"Remove yourself." He ordered, finally reaching them and standing beside Kage.

"Once the game ends…" She told him plainly.

Kage was still thinking over his move, even through all of this, his wings twitched and his hand moved to underneath his chin as he thought deeply. She laughed at his novice behavior. He was never going to win against her…

Sesshomaru looked down at the board. He reached over and took a stone from Kage's bowl and placed it onto the board- Kagome's eyes widened and her laughter instantly stopped. She was speechless as she stared at the board. With just once glance, he realized her plan and place the perfect move-

"No way…" She whispered. He beat her in just one move- She couldn't counter a defense like that, nor could she make a defense herself; she was at a stand off. Her eyes narrowed as she heard a deep chuckle come from the other side of the desk.

"If I'm not mistaken, Kage is in the lead by 2 points…" She glared at his pompous attitude. "Now, I believe the game is over, are you going remove yourself from my seat?"

She huffed, and quickly stood out of the chair. He chuckled at her childlike behavior and walked to the other side of the desk and sat down. She stood beside Kage with a sour look on her face, arms crossed over her chest. He was just too damn good at that game…

"I see…" Kage mumbled, his wings twitched in joy and a smile played across his face. "I finally won a match against Lady Kagome!"

"Because of Sesshomaru's help." She rolled her eyes at his false happiness.

His shoulders drooped and he sighed in defeat. She laughed at his sadness and patted his shoulder in encouragement. His wings twitched yet again and he smiled down at her, happy she was kind enough to lift his spirits up yet again.

"Why are you two in my study?" Sesshomaru asked.

"She ordered me to do it, sir." Kage blamed her, a sly smirk on his face.

"Tattletale…" She mumbled.

"Kagome, what do you have to say for yourself?" Sesshomaru asked, placing his hand underneath his chin for support as he leaned against his armrest.

"Well, I was bored, and so I thought playing a game in your room would be a nice way to pass time…"

"I see…" He leaned forward, staring at her with his piercing golden orbs.

She started to fidget, feeling nervous under his intense gaze. "The fox hasn't been around for a few days so I got _very_ bored." She confessed.

"Alright." He gave a rare smile, leaning back against his chair. "You may go now…" He motioned her away with his hand, while searching though some papers lying on his desk.

"That's it?" She questioned, obviously confused. No commands. No punishments to do paperwork; her dreaded enemy. No treats or comments about how silly and idiotic she was? Just '_alright_'?

"Would you like to have more?" He asked, glancing at her.

"No…" She mumbled.

She was bored, and wanted to see Sesshomaru, and maybe have a nice day with him. She sat in his chair and played Go, just to see how he would react. Though she was unsatisfied by his calmness, she did not wish to do any paperwork, at least not today. And by the looks of it, he is once again busy with the Three Kings and could not have a day off to play with her- She sighed, feeling her body slump slightly, disappointed that she wouldn't be able to spend time with him yet again. A feeling of sadness flooded her; she looked away from him, focusing on the wooden floor.

"Good." She glanced over, noticing he was shifting through his papers once again.

Her eyes drooped and she turned around, walking away from him. The door gave a soft click behind her as she closed the door, leaving the room and not saying anything else.

Sesshomaru looked up from his paper and glanced at the spot where she once stood, before focusing at the door. A small hint of guilt hit him and he sighed.

"Follow her." He ordered Kage to keep her company.

"As you wish, Lord Sesshomaru." Kage gave a low bow, before turning and walking out of the room, following her like he ordered.

He started at the door a few more moments. A soft sigh escaped his lips once again and his expression softened. For some reason, today, she seemed easier to upset…

"_The fox hasn't been around for a few days."_

"Is that fact actually bothering her?" He shook his head, quickly denying it. He turned back to his papers and started skimming them again, returning his attention to his work.

Of course not…

Kagome walked down the hallway, not much on her mind. For some reason she felt sad. Why did she feel so sad? Maybe she had just been lonely lately-

"Lady Kagome." A familiar voice called to her. She turned around and was greeted by her favorite crow demon.

"Kage." She gave him a small smile.

"Lord Sesshomaru sent me to be with you." He told her.

"I see." Her expression softened as she realized what that meant. Sesshomaru noticed her change and sent Kage to keep her company. "Come." She motioned for him to follow her.

She continued walking to her room, at a calm pace. Why would she feel lonely? She had Sesshomaru. She sighed. But he had been busy with work lately and couldn't hang out with her. She smiled, knowing she still had Kage and the small army under their command-

Now that she thought about it, she hadn't checked up on them in a few days. Maybe she should go see them? A small grin showed itself as she thought about her men. And don't forget Renji; she hoped he had improved since she last checked on him.

"How has the boys been fairing?" She asked the crow.

"They have been doing very well, but it would not hurt to check on them and raise their morale."

"You read my mind…" She laughed as he puffed out his chest slightly and twitched his wings in pride. "I would like to see Ishi and Tane…" The twins had always entertained her with their funny antics, while trying to outdo each other.

"Yes." He gave a light chuckle. "They miss their favorite 'sexy goddess'. I couldn't stop them from complaining the whole time while you've been away."

"I suppose your right. Watching my men from afar will not be enough, if I wish to have there respect as a leader." Lately she had been neglecting them…and she was wrong for doing so.

She supposed it had a lot to do with the fox. After he appeared into her life she hadn't been watching them as closely. She sighed, realizing how much she'd been putting off because she was having such a good time with him.

Yet after her birthday, she had not seen hide nor hair of the fox. But she was happy to see her book was missing from the windowsill. She smiled, imagining the fox sneaking around the castle and stealing a book from her window. She couldn't help but wonder; what had he been up to?

She shrugged not knowing the answer. Standing at her door she sighed and slowly opened it. What greeted her was something she wasn't expecting. Blood was all over her once beautiful wooden floor, staining it with its rich red color.

Her shocked blue orbs quickly focused onto a weak body lying helplessly in a large pool of blood. She easily recognized who it was.

"Yoko-!" She quickly rushed over to him and kneeled onto the floor beside him, not caring that she got covered in his blood.

At first glance, from what she could see, he only had one serious wound and it was a fist size hole on his shoulder. She winced at the sight as the blood pored freely from the wound with no sign of it stopping. The thick liquid covered his body and soaked his clothing. She looked towards the door and made eye contact with Kage, who looked on in seriousness.

"I need you to get me my bag." The bag she would always use in case the men got a little too rough in training. He nodded, understanding, before quickly leaving the room.

Right away, she knew the wound was too severe to use her powers. If she did, it would be too concentrated and the pure energy would kill him. She kept calm, and did what she could without her supplies. She tore off his shirt and wrapped it around the wound in a hurried bandage. She applied pressure, as much as she could, and kept an eye on his breathing and consciousness.

"Yoko." She tried to talk to him, to check his responses. "Yoko? Can you hear me?" He gave a weak cough, and opened his eyes halfway.

"A beautiful angel…am I in heaven?" She gave a small laugh and shook her head. If he was able to joke then he should make it- wait, he could be hallucinating…

"You know who I am?"

"Kagome…" He whispered weakly.

She gave a soft smile. He slowly raised his hand and she looked at it questionably. She freed one of her hands and took his clawed one in a comforting manner. She felt his hand loosen from its tight fist, and something fell into her palm. She looked down, and was greeted by a beautiful necklace. She opened her mouth to question it, but then saw his hand go completely limp and fall onto his chest.

"Yoko!" Her body instantly tensed and she was filled with worry. She put her hand onto his neck and sighed in relief when she still felt a heartbeat. "Thank goodness…" He was breathing, but only faintly.

Kage suddenly flew into the room, literally, and came to a stop beside her. His large, strong raven wings beat in a rhythmic and calm manner, while placing him safely on the floor next to her. He handed her the bag and she shifted through the containments to make sure she had everything she needed.

"Thank you Kage." She nodded her thanks. He nodded back.

"Is there anything else you need?" He asked.

"Yes. I will need some help lifting him up off of the floor, so I can clean and dress his wound properly."

"Of course…" He then joined her on the floor, kneeling in the pool of blood without a second thought. She smiled, happy to have him for support in helping her.

Before she was able to start, the object in her hand caught her attention once more and she looked at it. Its blue jewel sparkled with life and she couldn't help but smile, hoping it was a good sign. She then placed the necklace safely into her pocket, so it would not get damaged.

She then proceeded to take care of the thieving fox, and couldn't help but worry, wondering if he was going to be okay…

Darkness, and the nothingness that it provided, was the only thing he noticed. Yet that changed quickly, for the sound of his own heavy breathing fell onto his sensitive ears. He soon calmed and relaxed himself, allowing his breathing to soften, so he could understand his surroundings better.

Soft, almost unnoticeable whisper of breathing was heard beside him. Someone else was with him? That thought made his body tense with nervousness. Who was it? A familiar sent of vanilla wiggled its way into his senses and he sighed, instantly relaxing. It was her…For some reason that thought made him happy.

He finally started to have feelings back into his body, no longer feeling numb. He soon regretted it though, for he received something that you would not want to have when you woke up- pain. He resisted the urge to wince as a small stab hit his chest, below his shoulder. He sighed as the pain swiftly went away, replaced by tingles and a warmly pool of comfort spreading along his body. He was unable to holdback the moan that escaped his dried lips, enjoying the sensation very much. A soft laugh fell onto his ears.

"You're welcome…" She whispered. Her voice was laced heavily with worry and sorrow.

Slowly he fought his body's sluggish movements and opened his eyes. He was greeted with the sight of Kagome, sitting beside him on a bed. Yet he was surprised to actually see the sadness in her eyes as she was looking at the floor, not noticing he was awake yet. He followed her arm, and looked down, seeing her hand placed onto his shoulder, in a comforting manner. A small smile graced itself on his face and his expression softened.

"Thank you." He replied, his voice raspy and horse.

She gasped, jumping in surprise, and leaped from the bed, going into a fighting position out of reflex. She looked around the room, a serious look on her face, expecting an intruder. His deep but dry chuckle filled the room, finding the event amusing. A sly smirk played onto his features, enjoying himself.

"Didn't know you were so easy to spook, Kagome…"

He slowly sat up, trying not to growl as he body tried to resist his movements, fighting him the whole way. He carefully watched her, and was surprised to see her expression completely flip around into relief and joy.

"Yoko…" She whispered, as if in disbelief. Soon tears started to form in her eyes. He raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. Why is she-

"Oomph!" He grunted as she slammed into his body, enclosing him into a tight hug. His body instantly relaxed and he returned the hug. Placing his nose into her raven locks, he admired her lovely sent. It always calmed him- "Hello..." He smirked and his hand slowly started to move down her backside- A loud smack tore though the happy moment and he groaned in pain, rubbing his reddened cheek.

"I can't believe you..." She shook her head in shame while looking down at him.

"I can't believe you struck an injured man like that..." He argued.

"You seem fine to me." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "And here I was worrying about you."

"So you were worried." It surprised him she would be worried about _him_, of all people.

"Of course I was. You're my friend." She sighed and looked towards the window, as if thinking.

He couldn't help but watch her for several moments, carefully examining her expressions as they quickly flashed by her blue orbs, while she thought deeply. Something suddenly clicked and he frowned, lowering his head. He was in her room- How? Why?

_A piercing pain shot through his body and he roared in agony._

He growled, remembering what happened. How could he allow himself to be caught in such a obvious trap! His clawed hand clinched in anger, unable to believe it. His jaw tightened and his golden orbs hardened. He was Yoko Kurama, one of the greatest thieves in the world, yet that was a rookie mistake!

"You okay? Does it still hurt?" Her soothing voice flowed into his mind and he blinked in surprise. Feeling a soft hand placed onto his shoulder, he calmed down, and a small smile appeared on his once angry facade.

"No, I'm not in physical pain." He reassured her.

"I see. Hurt pride, uh?" She smiled at him and shook her head. "Men…" A chuckle escaped his lips. He supposed she was correct, why get angry about the past?

He slowly looked around, and his ears twitched in curiousness as he saw dry blood spilt all over her once lovely floor and clothes. He knew right away that it was his blood, and he felt regret for putting her in such a position like this.

Why did he come here anyway? He couldn't help but ask. When he was able to escape, she was the only thing that came into his mind. Why did he think of her at his time of need? Why was her smiling expression and happy disposition the only image plastered onto his mind while he was running for his life? Why was he wishing to see her, as he body slowly got weaker and weaker, on the verge of death? Maybe…he instinctively knew she would heal him, and save his life…?

Yes, that had to be it…there could not be any other reason...

He slowly scooted across the bed, allowing his legs to hang off of the edge, and his feet touched the cold wooden floor. Carefully, he pushed himself off of the bed and stood on his feet, without any trouble. He was about to take a step forward, but a fiery female stood in his way.

"You're not going anywhere, you're still hurt." She objected.

"I'm fine." He looked down at her, his seriousness showed he was not wishing to argue with her today.

"Oh, Ha-ha, funny stuff right there." She mockingly laughed, and raised her hand. She then brought it down and playfully slapped him on the chest- right where his wound was-! He hissed as a stab of pain hit him. "Perfectly fine…" She spoke sarcastically. A smirk was on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest in defense.

He grumbled in persist, but did not back away. "I'm fine." He argued, but said it with less confidence then the first time. "I caused enough trouble for you already."

"I see…" She moved out of his way and motioned towards the window. "Well, I can't stop you if you want to leave." She smiled at him, but the expression was laced with sadness. Why is she sad? Is she actually worried about him?

_"Of course I was. You're my friend." _

He unconsciously looked away from her, out of shame. She helped him, and he was just going to leave her? He shook his head, releasing his emotions, and started to slowly stroll to the window. Just as he placed his hand on the rim of the lip, a soft touch on his shoulder stopped him. He turned his head, only to become face to face with a familiar trinket that got him into this mess.

"You almost forgot this." She smiled at him, tilting her head in a cute manner. His expression softened at the look, and reached out, gently grabbing the jewel.

He carefully examined the blue gem resting in his palm, deep in thought. He didn't even remember taking this with him while he was running for his life. Why did he even bother to keep it? He glanced up, and his golden orbs locked onto her deep blue pools. He was soon in a trance, staring into the vast lake that was filled with such kindness…

A soft expression appeared once again on his face. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek with his knuckles. He bent down and slowly licked the tip of her nose in a playful manner.

"Thank you." He whispered in his deep voice.

A small tint of pink quickly showed itself on her face, causing a sly smirk to appear on his, satisfied by her reaction. He reached up and gently placed the necklace over her head. It was a perfect fit in his opinion, and he growled, pleased. He stared at the gem, and then looked into her deep pools once again. It matched her very well…like he knew it would.

"It's yours now." He told her. "It suits you best." Slowly, he moved his hand up her neck, before resting it on the back of her head, his clawed fingers entangled in her raven tresses. "It only adds to your beauty…" He purred and slowly bent down once more. She suddenly seemed fidgety and her pink tint quickly turned tomato red. He smiled, enjoying that expression very much…

He continued bending down, and pressed his lips against her forehead in a friendly gesture. He then backed up, while releasing her hair. He turned around and looked at her over his shoulder. He smirked, seeing the confused look plastered onto her face. She reached up and touched her forehead softly, as if in disbelief.

"You better be back tomorrow. I have to look after that wound of yours- you're not healed yet." She warned. "You hear me? You better not run off again." Her expression changed to an angry one, but he could tell it was fake anger. She was trying to hide her worry for him…

"Goodnight Kagome…" He spoke his farewell and waved to her over his shoulder.

He suddenly was held tightly from behind. He instantly froze, but then relaxed when he heard a contented sigh come from the woman who was embracing him.

"I'm fine." He told her again. Placing his hand onto her smaller one, he gave it a reassuring pat. After several seconds she finally let go and he smiled. Without looking back, he then jumped out of the window, and landed gracefully on the ground.

Unbeknown to her, or even the fox himself, a tint of pink appeared across the cunning thief's nose…


	12. A Picnic With Friends

It was a beautiful and sunny day. The grass was green and the usual shrills of pain could be heard from the training grounds. Kagome smiled, feeling relaxed by the soothing sounds. Today was a nice day. She skimmed the ink covered paper, before finishing and turning the page- A small, almost unnoticeable thump fell onto her ears, and her happy smile could only grow.

"Hello Yoko. Glad to see you have not run away yet."

"Run away from such a lovely beauty? Never." His cooling voice spoke to her. She placed her book beside her and looked at him kindly.

"I'm not so sure if that is a good thing or not." She gave a small laugh and stood up. They both started walking to each other and meet in the middle of the room. "Strip." She ordered.

"So forceful today." He purred.

"You should be used to this by now Yoko." She winked at him and he gave a pleased grin.

He then reached up, lowering the shoulder strap off of his arm, exposing his chest and shoulder. She then extended her hand and started to unravel his bandage. No blood was seeping through the area, so that was a good sign.

"Happy to see that you have been taking it easy like I instructed…"

"Were you going to punish me if I disobeyed?"

"Maybe."

"Hmm…" A sly smirk appeared onto his face.

"My punishments are not pleasant, I assure you that." She gave him a smirk of her own. Finally finishing her work, she took a close look at the wound. She was happy to see that the wound was starting to heal a lot quicker then she anticipated. "Good news fox. You should be up and running in a few more days."

"That's good. Lying motionless for days has reduced me to a couch potato." She couldn't help but laugh at his statement.

"You look just as fit as ever, fox. Do not belittle yourself." She started rummaging through her nightstand and pulled out a few items. She placed some medicine on his wound and rewrapped it with a new bandage. "It's only been a few days, you will not get lazy by just relaxing while your body heals."

"You never know. With such a beautiful nurse, I may never wish to leave."

"Then I guess I'll be forced to throw you out." She smiled while continuing to wrap his wound.

"Who knew you could be so mean to an injured man, Kagome."

"Well, your silly actions got you hurt, so I'm not going to support your laziness and allow you to freeload off of me."

"I would never…" He allowed his voice to fade trying to act hurt by her words. He even gave a saddened expression and she laughed at his behavior.

She shook her head and sighed, wondering how she got into those sorts of things. A few days ago she found him lying helplessly in his own pool of blood, inside of her room. She found a huge fist sized hole through his chest, below his shoulder. Looking at it now, it was closing nicely, and he was going to recover back to his old self soon. To see his wound heal so quickly in a few days was amazing. She smiled. Sometimes she had to keep reminding herself that she was no longer surrounded by humans, but powerful demons.

She gazed around the room and was glad to see her stuff was all clean as well. It just took a day for the servants to clean all the stains of blood from her clothes and wooden floor. She was happy to have her room back to normal- A small tap fell onto her ears.

"Kagome…" A soft, almost unheard whispered called to her, as if it was afraid of being caught. She paused in her wrapping and looked around. Was she hearing things? There was another tap. "Kagome-!" She heard it again. This time it was a little louder, and less muffled by the wind. She looked up and saw Yoko staring towards the window, ears alert. Well, guess that meant she wasn't going crazy. She saw a small pebble hit her window, making another tap. "Kagome!" The voice whined in frustration. At that point she knew who it was and she groaned while rolling her eyes. So much for a peaceful day. She sighed, finally finished tying the bandage, and gave him a reassuring pat, signaling she was done.

"Kago~ome!" The voice sung her name, trying to get her attention while throwing another pebble at her window. "KagOo~ooOome" It sang to her again, stretching her name even longer.

She raised an eyebrow and started to walk to the window, to answer the call. Suddenly a huge bolder zoomed into her line of vision and her eyes went wide as saucers. She did not have much time to react and quickly raised her hands, creating a barrier around her and Yoko. The first thing that happened was the huge crash that fell onto her ears, before dust, glass, and wooden shrapnel flew everywhere, destroying her room. She slowly opened her eyes and her jaw dropped in sheer shock. Her wall was completely torn down, along with half her room-!

"She wouldn't be able to sleep through that. I don't think she's there…" A new voice added.

She growled, and lowered her barrier. She then stomped to the car sized hole in her room, and peered over the edge, looking at the grassy floor below. The three men standing at the bottom smiled at her.

"Kagome!" One of them called happily.

She huffed and leaped out of the hole, landing softly onto the floor. She placed her hands angrily on her hips. Her three 'good' friends just looked at her blankly, before one of them raised his hand in greeting.

"Yo." He flashed her a winning smirk.

"You threw a boulder at my room, completely destroying it, and all you can say is: " '_Yo_'!"

"We also brought lunch!" The middle once announced cheerfully while holding up a picnic basket, tail wagging in joy.

"Who threw the bolder!" She screeched at them, obviously still upset…Wonder why?

"**He did it." **They all spoke at the same time, while pointing to each other.

"Grrr- Sit! Sit! Sit!" She repeatedly stomped the ground every time she spoke the word 'sit'. Large thuds followed by muffled curses were sounded throughout the whole area.

"What the hell was that for?" He yelled while pulling himself from the ground.

"I know it was you Inuyasha! Only you would think of something so barbaric!"

"It was the wolf who did it!" He pointed at Koga, who in turn, raised his hands in defense.

"Well, when you didn't answer Shippo's call, Inuyasha thought you were asleep!" He announced. Large veins appeared all over her forehead and her jaw clenched in frustration.

"Now now, don't be so angry. It's your Birthday after all!" Shippo announced in joy while holding the basket in the air. "The Birthday girl shouldn't be mad. You're supposed to be happy-!" He smiled at her.

"My Birthday was last WEEK!" She yelled at them. "You're late- AGAIN!" She growled while rubbing her face in annoyance.

"Well, at least we came." Inuyasha huffed.

"Yeah Kagome." Koga reassured her by slinging his arm over her shoulder. "If you should be mad at someone, be mad at Inuyasha. It was his fault for telling us the wrong day-"

"Don't you blame this on me Wolf!" He raised his fist in a challenge, snarling at the offending wolf. He accepted the challenge and harshly pressed his forehead against his, while growling in warning.

"That's it!" she screamed. "Get out! OUT! Out of this propriety, out of this land, out of this world- OUT OF MY HAIR!" She pointed to the gate, leading to the forest.

"Mother…" Shippo walked up to her slowly, trying to calm her down. "We came all the way here to see you, and the girls cooked a wonderful meal…" His ears and tail drooped, showing his sadness. "Do you really want us to go back?" He looked down at her with his teary emerald eyes and gave a small whimper.

"Uhg…Umm…" She gave a small cough and looked away from him, unable to stand it. "Ughhhh." She was at a lost for words. He always got her when he did that- it was her greatest weakness- "Alright…" She gave up, defeated.

"Thank you Mother." He gave her a kind smile.

"Ah! Hell yeah! Food!" Inuyasha cheered and plopped down on the grassy floor where he stood, happy.

"Kagome could never resist Shippo." Koga smirked.

"I learned from the best." He grinned while pulling out the checkered blanket and spreading it onto the floor.

"Me." The dog demon puffed out his chest in pride.

"Yeah right…" Kagome rolled her eyes and finally smiled, lowering her arms. "You? Psst!" She snorted and laughed.

There was a soft thud behind her and she instantly saw them stand up, serious. Inuyasha placed his hand onto his hilt, while Koga and Shippo flexed their claws, body tense.

"Am I interrupting?" A familiar voice came from behind her.

"No, you're just in time. Would you like some as well?" She motioned towards the blanket, inviting him to eat with us.

"Sounds interesting." Yoko nodded in agreement, while standing beside her.

"Guys, this is Yoko. Yoko, the guys." She motioned towards her friends. They soon relaxed when they realized she knew him. "Koga, from the wolf tribe to the east." Koga nodded, yet was watching Shippo as he continued to set the blanket. "Shippo, he lives near the forest, next to Koga."

"With a lovely family I must add." He smiled, remembering his family. She smiled too, enjoying his happiness.

"And…Inuyasha." She spoke his name dully and rolled her eyes.

"So _you're _the thieving fox who's been hanging around Kagome?" He huffed, not impressed. He then sat down on the blanket and crossed his arms over his chest, turning his head. His favorite pose, even after all these years.

"Charmed, I'm sure…" The fox snorted in response.

Shippo then started to set the food all over the cover. Inuyasha behavior quickly changed, and he stared hungrily at the food, drooling. Koga not far behind in his antics, tail thumping the ground harshly. Kagome couldn't help but laugh at the scene.

After a few moments the area was quiet, just before she heard soft footstep walking towards them. Inuyasha, Shippo, and Yoko's ears all twisted at the same time and maneuvered towards the sound. Kagome and the others knew who it was. Such graceful and featherlike movements- A shadow loomed in front of her, over the picnic.

"Hello Sesshomaru." She greeted and looked over at him with a smile.

He looked at her and gave her a reply by nodding his head. He then turned his gaze towards Yoko, and piercing amber meet their mach with molten gold staring directly back. She almost flinched at the sight. Looking at him dead straight is a challenge, or a sign that he looks at him as an equal, that's not good- What are you doing Yoko? Look away…

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lord Sesshomaru." He gave him a deep bow in respect, and stayed in that position. Sesshomaru just continued to look at the fox, and after a few tense moments he nodded in acceptance, relieving Yoko from his bow. Kagome sighed in relief, glad Sesshomaru didn't kill him. He then focused his attention on Inuyasha.

"_Brother_…" He greeted, his cold voice was laced with annoyance. "May I ask what you and you friends were thinking when you decided to attack my castle with that disgraceful object?"

He shrugged, not caring what he thought, his eyes were still glued onto the food that Shippo was still setting up.

"Don't be such a downer Sesshomaru!" Koga tried to cheer him up. "Stop being a spoiled sport. You should calm down." He stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

In an instant Sesshomaru reached out with his clawed hand and crushed his wrist. _'Ouch' _Kagome winced and watched as he was lifted into the air by his wrist, with one hand. The lord then took his free hand and placed it onto his neck, robbing the wolf from any oxygen.

"I _am_ calm…"

"Ok. Ok." He coughed out. "You're calm- I totally get it..." Before the wolf turned blue she decided to intervene. She reached out and softly touched his arm.

"Would you like to join us, Sesshomaru?" She invited him to lunch as well.

"…" He dropped Koga, and the wolf started coughing while inhaling a lung full of air. He then looked at the food on the blanket, which Shippo finally finished setting, and then looked at her. He paused, as if considering it. "Very well…"

"What! No way!" Inuyasha objected. "He is not allowed!" Sesshomaru decided at that moment, to show how much he cared about Inuyasha's choice, and sat down on the blanket. "We won't have enough food!"

"Unlike _you_ dear brother, I do not eat three times my body weight like a gluttonous pig."

"Why you-!" He growled at him and started barking insults. At that moment, Kagome found the whole scene hilarious and started to laugh, while sitting down beside Sesshomaru. Yoko soon joined and took a seat on the other side of her.

The others sat down as well. Koga, as far away from Sesshomaru as he could get, and Shippo beside Inuyasha. After a few yells from Inuyasha, he finally got tired of screaming, realizing it wasn't doing anything to anger his opponent, he then huffed, giving up.

"What the hell. Your pompous attitude annoys me." He growled while stuffing a roll in his mouth.

"Would you rather have me kill you instead, _brother_? Is that the reaction you wish out of me?"

"…" He swallowed his roll whole, before crossing his arms over his chest and snorting. "Feh."

It was at the time that everyone got a plate and started to eat the delicious food…

"Yoko…" Shippo whispered. "Why does that name sound familiar?" He mumbled, before placing a nibble of food into his mouth.

"I wonder how they put the cream inside of cream doughnuts…" Inuyasha thought out loud, while holding said doughnut in front of his face closely. She groaned while gently placing her hand over her own face, wondering how he could be so…_'Inuyasha'…_

"It's amazing how every time you open your mouth you prove you're an idiot." Sesshomaru calmly spoke, while taking a sip of his tea. Kagome laughed then coughed, choking on her drink and almost spewing it all over Inuyasha and Shippo.

"Kiss my ass!"

"Nice one dog breath." Koga snickered while taking another chuck out of his meat.

"Your friends are quite…different, Kagome." Yoko was also chuckling, enjoying yet another one of the brotherly bouts.

"Yes, they are." She smiled. "We have been through a lot though…" She sighed, looking over her long time friends once more. Her eyes soon locked onto Koga as he tore into another piece of his meat. "How are you and Ayame?" She asked.

"Hmm?" He paused in his eating when he heard his mate's name. "Oh, she's about to have our 6th pup soon!" He gave her a proud grin.

"That's great-" She was in the middle of praising him when Inuyasha interrupted her.

"Yeah, Wolf-Face is trying to repopulate his whole clan by himself." The dog snickered, believing his own joke to be funny.

"It surprises me you can even say 'repopulate' I thought your brain could only do ABC's and 123's."

"What did you say wolf? Come here and say that to my face!" Inuyasha growled at him.

"I already did, you sad excuse for a dog!"

Kagome just rolled her eyes as she watched them fight over silly things once again. She then sighed and looked over the blanket, her blue orbs landing on her son.

"How about you Shippo?" She asked with a smile. The young fox looked away from the wrestling match between the two demons, and he gave a soft smile.

"Hana and the children have been doing very well." His smile grew as he thought about his family.

"I am glad that she makes you happy."

"Thank you, Mother." At his words Yoko's ears twitched very slightly, but the movement didn't slip by her…She glanced at the fox, seeing if he was okay. He looked fine so she shrugged it off and continued talking.

"How's your training? You haven't been slacking off have you?"

"No."

"Have you been eating your meals and sleeping well? You're still a growing kit. You need to make sure to eat well and grow to be strong."

"I know…" At that point the started to fidget and a tint of pink went across his noise. Koga and Inuyasha stopped bickering with each other and started laughing at the embarrassed kit.

"Does little foxy-woxy want to hold my hand when we got back home?" Inuyasha teased.

"Don't want you to fall and hurt yourself" Koga joined in.

"Sit." Kagome whispered, earning a large thud in reply. Koga thought it was rather funny, so he started to laugh while pointing at the grounded dog. Suddenly, a large fish slammed on top of him and he soon joined Inuyasha by kissing the dirt. Kagome smirked and dusted her hands off in accomplishment, before sitting back down in her spot, leaving the human sized fish lying on top of the wounded wolf.

"Thank you for your concern, Mother, but I'm strong enough to take down most demons."

"I know you can take care of yourself fairly well, but a mother is always worried about her child no mater how strong he is." She softly picked up her glass of wine and took a sip.

"I understand, after all, I have kits of my own now." He smiled, once again being reminded of his family. Reaching over he picked up something thin and rectangular. He unwrapped the object and his tail started to thump harshly against the ground in joy. Small hearts started to float around his head as he hummed a happy tune. "Hershey with almonds…Mmmm." He started to purr in delight as he nibbled on the candy bar. She couldn't help but smile at his behavior. No matter how much he had grown on the outside, he was still her little kit on the inside, especially when chocolate was around…

She looked down and into her glass of wine, her reflection smiling back at her happily. She stared at the red liquid for a few moments. Slowly, her smile faded, and her expression dropped. Her deep blue eyes lightly fogged over and she sighed, feeling empty. It was _her_. She looked so much like _her_. She couldn't escape that fact for long, but she hoped that today would be different.

Every time he came to visit, she would always think about it, yet she believed- she wished it would not repeat itself, like it had done so many times before. Today was a happy day, full of joy- She glanced up, watching everyone laughing and having fun. Inuyasha and Koga stuffing their faces, while trying to outdo each other. Sesshomaru calmly drinking his tea, while Shippo and Yoko talked to each other about this and that. She was enjoying herself too, but…

She looked back down at her reflection again. She had her doubts. Was it the right thing to do? Was she truly happy with the outcome? Was it really worth it? She sighed yet again, her shoulders slumping slightly. They were all happy, and that was all that mattered, right? She gave a soft smile as she twirled the liquid around the container. She gave up everything for them…

Now, Sesshomaru was a powerful lord. Koga had a mate, and on his sixth child. Shippo also had two children of his own, and a wonderful mate. And Inuyasha-

She glanced up and at the half demon, who at the moment was stuffing his face, holding several handfuls of bread, fish, and meat in his arms. He had _her_. She sighed as she felt a twinge of pain hit her chest, making it feel constricted. She mentally shook her head from any bad feelings, and gave the best smile she could muster.

"By the way Inuyasha, I forgot to ask how you and Kikyo were doing." Everything suddenly went silent as they others herd her speak the woman's name.

"Mother…" Shippo whispered. Both regret and a hint of worry was pricking in his voice.

Koga stopped eating, staring at them intensely. Sesshomaru watched them calmly, waiting for his bother to answer her question. Inuyasha's ear twitched and he pulled his mouth away from the giant drumstick he was chewing on.

"Uh? Did you say something Kagome?" He questioned dumbly. She growled in frustration and suddenly threw her drink at him in rage. The red liquid splashed all over him from head to toe, soaking him in the sticky substance. She slammed her empty glass back onto the blanket and quickly stood up, her hands balled into fists by her sides.

"Jerk!" She stomped her foot on the ground and then turned around, storming off into the forest.

He just sat there, blinking in confusion with a dazed look on is face, as if silently saying 'What just happened?'

Kagome placed her back against a tree while staring at the sky, deep in thought. She knew that she over reacted, but she also knew that if she was Kikyo, he would have heard her- without a doubt. She sighed, her shoulders slumping.

She shouldn't think like that. Kikyo was with Inuyasha, and part of the group. She had known her for so long- She shouldn't talk about her like that, or feel so mad about it. Yet she knew she was jealous. Jealous that Inuyasha chose her instead. It happened so long ago, she was surprised she still felt that way. She sighed.

She moved on, but it seemed her heart wished to hold on to that lost feeling. The times when she was so young and carefree-

"Free…" She whispered into the wind. When will that time come? When will she be free? "When-?" Soft footfalls entered her ears, stopping her musings. Quickly realizing who it was, a small smile crept onto her face. The figure stopped beside her, and she took her gaze away from the sky to stare into his golden orbs. "Hello…" She greeted him with a shy smile, and looked at the ground.

"Do not let my idiot bother get to you."

"I'm not." She shook her head. "I was just thinking about the past."

"If you dwell too much on the past, you will be unable to look into the future."

"As always, you spread your words of wisdom on me." She gave a soft laugh.

"I only speak to those who deserve it."

She looked up at her mentor and friend. He had been with her for so long- He knew her so well, and knew just what to say to make her feel better. She looked back up at the sky and sighed.

"Why do I still feel this way?" She asked him, wishing for his guidance. "It's been so long since then…"

"Time does not matter. If you do not want to let go of the past, you will never rid yourself of it."

"I did- I mean- I have." She looked at the ground. "I do not feel that way about him anymore."

"I am not the one you need to convince…"

She knew he was right. She said she did not love him anymore, but then why did she still feel hurt when she thought about him? This whole time, she had been in denial. She did not love him, that she knew for sure. Her heart did not beat loudly when he was around. Her face did not get red. She did not feel the same as she did long ago…

She resisted the urge to wince as she felt a sting of pain it her chest, yet it felt empty. This whole time, it was not sadness, but guilt. Wondering if she did the right thing. If she made the right choice. Thinking back, why couldn't she have been selfish? Yet she knew, if she had to make that choice again, she would have made the same decision.

She glanced at Sesshomaru out of the corner of her eyes. He was watching the sky, his calm demeanor never changing. She slowly reached her hand out, and gently tugged on his long sleeve. He gracefully lowered his head and focused his gaze onto her, showing she had his full attention. She looked away from his golden orbs, and onto the grassy floor.

"Do you think I made the right choice?"

She felt him slowly raise his hand, his sleeve slipped out of her grasp from the light gesture. He gently caressed her cheek with his knuckles, causing her to look up and into his golden orbs once more. His expression softened and he placed his hand onto her cheek. Tears slowly rose into her eyes, and she placed her hand on top of his. She felt a heavy weight lift off her chest, and she gave him a small smile.

She took a deep breath, and was calmed as his ceramal sent evaded her senses. He did not have to speak, his movements spoke louder then any words could ever do…

"Thank you…"

Kagome was walking through the forest, beside Sesshomaru. They were headed back to the others.

"Sesshomaru?" He inclined his head, showing he was listening. "I was wondering why you did not challenge Yoko." She knew that he wanted to test the fox, wishing to know how far his abilities went, both physical and mental. After all, he did not know much about Yoko, and probably still didn't trust him; the best way to find out where he stood was in a battle against him.

"You have become quite attached to the fox." She blushed at his words. "I trusted in your judgment. I am allowing the fox to stay for the time being." Excited, and extremely overjoyed by his words, she flashed him a big smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Thank you!" At first he just stared down at her, unmoving. After a moment he raised his hand and patted her back. She couldn't help but laugh. "That's not a hug." She told him.

"This Sesshomaru does not embrace others in excitement or affection."

"Well, that's probably why you don't have a mate yet." She told him, releasing him from her hug.

"I do not have time for the constant naggings of a female." He replied, walking ahead of her. "I have enough of that coming from you."

"Hey, I take offensive to that."

"I only speak the truth." He gave a small smirk and she rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

"You know, I was relieved when you did not fight Yoko."

"Why is that?" He questioned.

"That wound on his shoulder still hasn't healed. I would have stopped you if you wanted to fight him."

"I see…"

They then continued their walk until a familiar sound entered their ears. Kagome quickened her pace, passing through the gate in a rush and arrived at the scene. She sighed and shook her head in disappointment as she watched the fight unfold. Inuyasha using his Tessaiga, while Yoko was using his rose whip. She groaned. Why where they fighting? She continued to watch the bout, and was not surprised that Yoko was easily keeping Inuyasha at bay with his quick reflexes and perfect timing.

"He is doing quite well, for someone who is injured…" Sesshomaru reminded her.

Her eyes widened and she started running towards them. Just as Inuyasha leaped into the air, about to bring his sword down upon his opponent, she too, took flight and gave the hot head a punch in the face with all the strength she could muster. The dog yelped in surprise, dropping his sword, and flew several feet before slamming into the earth, creating a huge crevasse in his wake. She landed softly, and Yoko came out of his attack position, standing beside her with a sly grin on his face.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled while standing up, holding his swollen and bruised cheek. "What the hell!" He growled while stomping towards them.

"You deserved it." She replied, while placing her hand onto her hip and smirking in satisfaction.

"No one deserves that!" He argued. She just rolled her eyes and turned towards Yoko, making sure it was alright. "What's wrong with you? We were fighting and you just come in here and-"

"You seem to be okay." She sighed in relief. "That's good."

"Dammit, pay attention when I'm talking to you!" He ordered. Yoko just stood there, smirking, enjoying himself as he watched Inuyasha get more and more upset with each passing second.

"Don't you yell at me." She huffed, poking him in the chest. "If anyone should be angry, it should be me." She announced. "Yoko is injured, and here you are, picking a fight with him!" She growled. The half demon gulped, realizing he just made a big mistake, and started to back away. "Why were you fighting anyway, uh? I bet it was your fault." She asked while pushing him in the chest roughly, making him stumble backwards.

"He started it!" He pointed his finger at Yoko, who in turn, just shook his head and shrugged.

"Likely story…" Not believing him.

"It's true!" He tried to convince her. "He was looking at me with those evil eyes and that smirk-See!" He pointed at Yoko yet again. "That smirk right there!" He growled at him. Yoko did have a smirk on his face, knowing that Inuyasha was going to get what was coming to him.

Kagome raised her fist and nailed him in the face yet again, making sure to hit him in the same area. The dog went flying once more and he hit the ground with a thud. He growled while slowly sitting up.

"Would you stop punching me!" He grumbled while placing his hand onto his sore cheek. Yoko chuckled at the grounded puppy, enjoying himself.

"Apologize!" She ordered, pointing towards Yoko.

"What?" He screeched, quickly standing up and growling at her, his fist raised in a challenge. "I am not going to-"

"Apologize to Yoko or I am going to say the 'S' word"

"…" He crossed his arms over his chest and mumbled.

"What was that? I didn't hear you." She smirked, cupping her hand around her ear to hear better.

"Sorry." The deflated dog finally apologized.

"Apology accepted." Yoko replied, putting his rose whip away.

"Feh." He huffed and turned his head away from them.

Holding a small pack of ice, she placed it against his cheek softly. He hissed in displeasure and she snorted.

"Well, that's what you get for picking a fight with my friend." She told him. He grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest, slouching in his seat. "Stop being such a baby, Inuyasha."

"I'm not." He huffed, harshly taking the pack away from her, and holding it in place himself. She smiled, and shook her head in defeat. Standing up, she went back to her original spot on the blanket, leaving him alone to cool off.

"You should be happy that Kagome was gracious enough to bring you a pack." Yoko spoke up, while taking another sip of his drink.

"Shut up fox!" Inuyasha barked out. "It's your fault I'm in this mess."

"You must admit though, Mother does pack a powerful punch." Shippo gave a small laugh while nibbling on another candy bar.

"Of course! She's my woman after all!" Koga spoke loudly, chest puffed out in pride.

"For the last time, she is not your woman wolf!" Inuyasha yelled. "You have a mate!" He growled in a challenge. Koga accepted and pressed his forehead against Inuyasha's, snarling.

They then proceeded to throw insults at each other- Suddenly Inuyasha slammed his ice pack against Koga's face, and it burst on impact from the force. Koga then punched him in return, earning a small yelp from the pup. They then started to throw kicks and punches at each other, causing a massive dust ball to appear around them. Grunts and yells could be heard, as they flailed around the area, fighting like dogs.

She sighed and reached over, picking up a pitcher of water. She stood up, pitcher in hand, and slowly walked over to them. She lifted her hand and the cold water fell down, landing on them in a loud splash while covering them from head to toe.

They stopped in mid-fight, and looked up at her. Inuyasha was pulling Koga's hair, while Koga had one hand clinching Inuyasha's shirt and another fist reared back, about to punch him in the face.

"Enough." She told them. They just looked at her, and the area was tense, until-

"Dog breath started it!"

"What did you say, you mangy wolf?"

They growled at each other in warning, and then Koga released his punch, nailing Inuyasha in the nose. He growled in anger, and started to pull Koga's hair once again, while the two started to tumble across the grassy floor once more.

Kagome just sighed in disappointment, and shook her head. It was going to be a long day…

Kagome waved to them, feeling both relief and sadness. On one hand, she was happy they were leaving, and she could finally get some peace. On the other, she was sad that she had to say goodbye to her good friends, knowing she will probably not see them again for another year. She will miss them greatly…

She reached out and pulled her adopted son into a hug, pressing her cheek against his chest. He had grown so much- Shippo blushed in embarrassment, but returned the hug, placing his nose into her hair and sighting in contentment.

She couldn't believe that the demon she was hugging was once a small kit. Yet look at him now. He had a family who loved him, and he could take down even the strongest of demons. She smiled into his chest, proud of the fact that she watched him grow up to be such a wonderful son. She then released him, and looked towards the others.

Koga had a grin plastered onto his face. He then spread his arms out wide, waiting for his own hug. She laughed as Inuyasha punched him in the back of the head, and Koga started to yell at him while rubbing his injured scalp. Kagome lunged forward and wrapped her arms around the wolf's neck. Koga immediately stopped yelling, and a small tint of pink went across his nose. His arms encircled around her frame for a few moments, before she pulled away.

He was still the same wolf she met long ago. Strong and brave. Loyal to his pack and his friends. Yet time had started to change him into a fine companion, and dear friend. His large family has made him more responsible, and he was able to make smarter choices in his life. He looked down at her, a soft expression on his face. She smiled back and reached up, patting his cheek in encouragement before turning towards Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha…" She whispered his name. The demon gave a small blush, and turned his head.

"You're not going to give me a hug too- Are ya'?" He questioned, embarrassed.

She smiled, and shook her head in disappointment. Regretfully, he hadn't changed at all- Well, maybe a little. He was a lot calmer, but only when Kikyo was around. He listened to Kikyo very well, and treated her kindly, his rough exterior quickly fading when she was nearby. He truly loved her…

She slowly reached out, and her hand touched the beads around his neck. She gave it a gentle tug and the necklace fell apart, before it shattered and was carried by the wind. Everyone but Sesshomaru and Yoko looked at her in shock. Inuyasha was speechless as he stared at her, wide-eye and unsure of what to do.

Reaching out once more, she grabbed his clawed hand and placed something in it, before pulling away. He looked at his hand and realized she gave him a fang, from the necklace that he was forced to ware. He then looked back at her, and his amber eyes met her deep blue. Her eyes softened as she gave him a kind smile.

"Maybe with this, you won't forget my birthday next year." A small smile graced his features, and he pulled her into an embrace.

"Maybe…" He whispered, and giving her an extra squeeze, as if saying 'Thank you'

"You're Welcome…" She returned his hug and sighed in relief.

She finally let go of the past, and by doing so, she was able set him free. Though the spell was broken, the bond of their friendship and the memories they shared, was worth more to her then anything…

But she would regret not being able to 'Sit' him anymore…

Sesshomaru, Yoko, and her were the only ones left now. They were still standing outside, looking at her destroyed room.

"How long will it take for them to fix your room?" Yoko asked. Kagome shrugged, not knowing the answer. She then looked towards Sesshomaru.

"A few days, at most." He answered.

"That's not too bad." She smiled. "I'll just stay in one of the extra rooms till it is fixed." Sesshomaru nodded in agreement, before looking towards the setting sun.

"I must leave and go back to my work." He told her.

"I know." It would probably be a few days before she was able to hang out with him again. She sighed, feeling saddened by this fact. He reached up and patted her head, to reassure her. The small act made her smile.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Lord Sesshomaru." Yoko said, while bowing towards him.

"If we meet again fox, I do not expect the same mercy that I showed you today." He warned. "And if you ever do anything to harm me, my lands, or Kagome…" He gave the fox an icy glare. "I will kill you."

"I wouldn't dare go against you, Lord Sesshomaru." She was surprised that he was so calm, even though he just spoke of his demise.

"…" He nodded in acceptance, before turning and leaving the area, going back towards the castle.

"Don't worry." She could tell that his body was slightly tense after his departure. "You only die once." She flashed him a bright smile, earning a light chuckle from the fox.

"Not if you're killed by Sesshomaru." He added. "My sources told me that he has a sword that can revive the dead."

"Yes, well, if you anger him, he won't be kind enough to revive you." She stated.

"Then I guess we will have to keep our secret just between us."

"Secret?" She questioned. "What secret?"

"Why, the fact that we are in love, of course." He bent down and purred into her ear, a smirk was on his handsome face.

"Oh, yes. How could I forget that I have fallen for that _lovely_ charm of yours?" She spoke sarcastically and placed her hand onto his chest, pushing him away from her. Another deep chuckle escaped from his lips.

"Do not deny yourself from your true desires. You know you want me."

"You just keep believing that." She reached up and patted his cheek in encouragement.

"Your words cut like daggers piercing my heart." He frowned, placing his hand on his chest, over his heart.

"You'll be fine."

"So harsh…" He purred, while reaching over and caressing her cheek. He bent down and gently kissed her forehead, causing a red stain to go across her nose. "Goodnight Kagome…" He whispered against her skin.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yoko."

"I'll be counting down the minutes…" He replied, yet she could hear the amusement laced within his words.

Damn fox…

She rolled her eyes, yet she couldn't stop herself from smiling.

His eyes snapped open, showing his emerald orbs to the world, and he quickly sat up.

"Yoko Kurama!" He exclaimed in both amazement and shock. "I knew I heard his name from some where…"

"Is something wrong Shippo?" The voice of his mate, Hana, fell into his ears. She slowly sat up and looked at him.

"Don't worry, it's nothing." He tried to reassure her, and ran his fingers through her hair. She smiled at him, before lying back down on the bed, closing her eyes.

He lay back down as well, and placed his arm around his mate's waist before nuzzling her hair. He sighed in contentment and pulled her close to his body.

He shouldn't worry too much about it. Kagome could take care of herself…


	13. He Was My Friend

Kagome sighed as she stared at her ceiling, while lying in her bed. She had already finished her morning duties, and was now taking the rest of the day off. The only problem was that she was unable to think of anything to do. That seemed to be happening to her a lot lately.

She closed her eyes in concentration, trying to think deeply. Sesshomaru was out of the question-

"_Hey Sesshomaru, I was wondering if-"_

"_No." He spoke sternly, leaving no room for argument._

"…" _She pouted. "You're no fun."_

She sighed in disappointment. He didn't even give her time to explain…

"You know, you look _very_ sexy when you're thinking…" A familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"Why do you always have to say such strange things, Yoko?" She asked, yet she couldn't stop the smile that crept its way onto her face.

"Intelligence turns me on." He replied in a purr.

"Everything turns you on, you horny fox."

"Doesn't make it any less attractive." He reached up and caressed her cheek, while blowing into her ear. She blushed, but placed her hand over his face and pushed him away from her.

"Down boy." She sat up and looked at him, a kind smile on her face.

She was happy he was here. He always knew how to keep her busy and occupied with his sly tricks-

"What has my lovely beauty puzzled so?" He questioned. "You seemed quite distant when I entered. What were you thinking about?" He asked. "Me, perhaps?"

"You wish." She replied. He looked at her with disappointment and gave a saddened sigh. She shook her head, but smiled at his movements. "I was trying to think of something to do, to entertain myself for the day."

A sly smirk appeared on his handsome face, and he leaned down. He gently grabbed her chin, tilting her head up and placing his face very close to hers.

"I know of an activity that we both can play, that will certainly '_entertain'_ us all day..." He whispered to her seductively, hinting heavily at what his mind was thinking.

A blush went across her nose and she turned her head away. She should have known he would have said something like that. She sighed. Feeling something tug at her neck, she glanced down, seeing that Yoko now had her necklace within his clawed hand. His focus was now placed onto it, as he stared at it with a dazed look on his face, before a soft expression over took his features.

"I see that you are wearing the gift I gave you." He spoke gently and looked into her eyes. She couldn't stop herself as another blush forced its way onto her cheeks. He raised the necklace higher, and placed a soft kiss onto the blue stone. "I also noticed you are not wearing the jewel…" He told her before standing up, releasing the necklace, and looking around. His gaze locked onto the jewel that was resting on her dresser, next to the roses he gave her so long ago. "Why are you not wearing it instead?"

She smiled to herself, before walking towards her dresser. She stared at the jewel, before placing her focus onto the roses. She reached out and touched the blue one softly, inspecting it. It was quite lovely, even after all this time. She was able to keep it alive using her miko powers…

"You are not going to steal it." She calmly stated, while pulling the rose out of the vase, and placing the delicate plant to her nose, inhaling deeply.

"Oh?" He seemed amused by her words. "And why do you think that?"

"You had your chance before, yet you did not take it." She told him.

"Hmm…" He smirked. "It seems you have caught me with my hands red once again." He slowly strolled over to her, before reaching out and placing a lock of her hair in front of his lips. "But I could change my mind at any time though…"

"Yes, but you wont." She smiled while twirling the rose, allowing him to inhale her scent.

"You sound so confident." He sated. "Why?" He asked while releasing her hair, and turning his attention to her cheek, caressing it softly with his knuckles.

"Because." She paused and looked at him with a happy expression. "We are friends."

He stopped in his movements, surprised by her words, and a tint of pink went across his nose. He recovered quickly though, a soft look soon over took his features and he gave her a gentle smile.

"Yes…" He whispered. "We are…"

Yoko was lying on the grassy floor outside, his hands behind his head. Kagome was lying beside him, and they both were staring into the sky, relaxing. She believed that leaving her room and coming outside would be a good idea. He had to admit, it was rather relaxing-

"That cloud looks like a fluffy bunny." She spoke her thoughts, while pointing to the sky. He paused in his musings, and blinked in surprise. Did he just hear correctly?

"Kagome?" He turned his head, looking at her.

"Yes?" She replied innocently.

"The sky is blood red, and the clouds are black- How could you possibly see a bunny within those ominous colors?" He asked.

"Umm…By looking?" She answered. He gave a deep chuckle, enjoying her truthfulness. Sometimes she acted so pure, like a child- He paused, being reminded of something-

"Kagome." He called her name once again.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering…" He sat up, showing he was serious. She looked towards him, and then sat up as well. "It's about your son, is he really…?" He let his question fade, unsure of where he was going with it. She smiled, knowing what he was trying to ask.

"No. He is not my birth son. His parents were killed when he was a kit, so I took him in and raised him like my own."

"I see…" He sighed as a wave of relief washed over him. Why was he glad about this fact? "To take on the kit like that was very kind of you." He complimented her. "How long have you been together?" He asked, wanting to know more about the intriguing woman sitting beside him.

"Around 488 years…" She replied.

"Four hundred and…?" He paused. "But your only 503?" He questioned, obviously surprised. "But you were just a kit yourself."

"Yes, I suppose I was quite young, but a lot of things happened to me near that time frame." She told him. "I also met Inuyasha, Koga, and Sesshomaru, including many others you have not met." She sighed, and looked down regretfully. "That is also the moment in my life when the jewel came into my possession."

"You had the jewel for that long?" He had no idea…

"Yes, but I guess you can say that I have been forced to keep it for this long…" She sighed again. "When I first got the jewel, I wasn't too happy about it." She told him. "Its more like the jewel found me, not the other way around."

"How so?" He questioned, curious. How could such a powerful gem just fall into her hands?

"The jewel was embedded inside my body." What-? He looked at her in surprise. "I am the reincarnation of Kikyo, a woman who died and burnt the jewel with her body, to keep it from evil hands." She looked down sadly. "Because of this, the jewel was inside me from the moment I was brought into the world."

"Wait a minute, Kikyo-?" Isn't that-

"Yes, Inuyasha's mate."

"But I thought you said she died?"

"It's a long story." She turned her head away, as if in shame.

"I see..."

He did not want to press it further if she did not wish to talk about it. Even though he was curious and wanted to know more, he pushed it back. He could tell that the subject was very touching to her, and he did not wish to upset her.

So instead he lay back down onto the grassy floor, hands behind his head, and closed his eyes. Though he did not speak, his voice was echoing throughout his head, asking questions. Who was Kagome? How did she end up this way? Why has she kept the jewel with her for so long? Who was this Kikyo person and how is she alive, but dead? There were missing pieces to the puzzle that made up this woman, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to figure it out.

He sighed as he tried to think of the possibilities. After a few moments his mind was still drawing a blank, and he growled in disappointment, unable to figure it out without more information on her past.

"You know, you look _very_ sexy when you're thinking…" A familiar voice told him. A smirk appeared on his calm face. He opened one of his eyes and looked at her. He was slightly surprised to see a small smile on her face, yet her eyes had a far off sheen to them. His smirk immediately lowered, and he sat up.

"Is there something bothering you, Kagome?" He reached out and gently cupped her cheek in reassurance. Out of reflex he started to stroke her soft cheek with his thumb. Another small smile appeared on her face, and she finally took her eyes off of the ground, to stare into his golden orbs.

"Just thinking about the past." She answered.

"If it saddens you, you shouldn't think about it." He replied, earning a sad laugh from the female.

"If only it was that simple." Reaching up, she removed his clawed hand, making him sigh in disappointment. Yet she did not release it, and instead held it, inspecting it carefully with a far off expression in her eyes. "Close your eyes." She commanded him softly.

"And what, pray tell, would you want me to do that for, hmm?" He asked, a smirk on his face.

"Just do it." She paused. "Please?" She asked nicely. The excited tone flowing out of her voice made him curious, so he closed his eyes. She then stared to draw into his open palm, making his hand twitch slightly from the contact. That tickled- "Guess what this is…" She told him. Ah, so she wants to play a game with him? He almost chuckled at the thought. It was rather cute…

"A smiley face." He spoke, a small smirk appearing across his features. She gave a small cheer before drawing yet another picture. "A flower." She giggled softly before drawing a different picture. "Stickman-" She then added a triangle to the bottom half of the picture. "Stick_woman_" She gave a happy laugh, and he couldn't help but smile at the soothing sound.

"You're pretty good at this game." She complimented him. "Though I'm not that good at drawing, you got every one of them right so far."

"I am just happy to see that my lovely rose is not sad anymore." He whispered. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by a blushing Kagome, which made another sly grin show on his face. She released his hand and turned her head away, embarrassed.

He chuckled, before placing his arm on top of his raised knee and looking into the sky. He had to wonder: When did it become like this? Her and him, sitting outside and just enjoying each others company? How did it happen this way? He came here on a mission to steal the jewel, and now look at him. The jewel had never crossed his mind, and he found great pleasure just being with her instead. He had to resist another chuckle. The woman had bewitched him…

She lured him with the jewel, then trapped him with her lovely sent, soft voice, shapely body, and mysterious personally. Now, his was finding it difficult to leave-

"I trust you." She suddenly spoke, cutting off his musings and almost making him jump in surprise. He slowly turned his head to look at her, and his ears twitched.

"Oh?" He smiled at her, making a small tint of pink appear across her nose.

"Yes." She nodded her head and looked at the ground. "I think-" Pausing in her words, she hesitated slightly. "I want to tell you about my past."

To say he was surprised was an understatement. Really? She was going to tell _him_, a thief she has only known for a few months, her delicate past? His tail soon had a mind of its own, swaying across the grassy floor in excitement and joy.

"You do not have to..." He replied, speaking against his instincts and curious nature. He wanted to know more about the alluring female, but not if talking about it upset her.

"But I want to." She smiled at him and he returned the smile, before nodding in acceptance.

"Then I will listen."

"Thank you…"

She then proceeded to tell Yoko about her past, yet she decided to leave the part about her being human out. She did not want to bombard him with so many things at once, and her being human, along with the story of the jewel, might have been too much for one sitting. She did not want to hide it from him, but if he knew, she wasn't sure how he would react.

He might take it personally, be upset by it, and hate her because of it; or tell other demons about it, making widespread panic go across the world. She figured it was best to keep it a secret a little bit longer. She will tell him, just not now.

So instead she told him that she was a demon that lived in the human world since she was born, before the barrier was placed between the demon and human world. She also said that she was born with her powers, and wasn't sure why she had them. She could tell that he knew she was lying about some parts of her story, but he didn't question it, and for that she was glad.

She then told him about the centipede demon that suddenly attacked her, because it sensed she had the jewel. She, of course not knowing what it was talking about, ran and came across a human village.

Beyond that, she no longer had to 'stretch the truth' about anything else, yet she kept the well a secret too, deciding to tell him about that later, because it connected to the fact that she was really human…

She told him the story of her past, and how she had to struggle after the jewel came into the world, and meeting Inuyasha. After she told him that she broke the jewel, and it spread across Japan in hundred of pieces, the look of shock and amazement that showed on his face almost made her laugh.

She spoke about Inuyasha's blade, and how they first meet Sesshomaru, who at the time was their enemy. She then confessed about Kikyo, and how the witch brought her back to life using clay and magic. The story about Kikyo and Inuyasha, and how they believed to have been betrayed by the other over the jewel. How they met Miroku, and the real truth about Kikyo and Inuyasha. How their betrayal was all a plot by the cunning, shape shifting half demon named Naraku.

Sango, her demon slaying companion Kirara, and her brother Kohaku. How her and their entire village was tricked by Naraku as well. Koga, from the wolf tribe and how he played into the story as well. How Naraku soon gained so much power that he could create detachments from his own body, yet they had their own thoughts and abilities.

She continued to tell him the long and detailed story of her past. She was surprised to see the many emotions that were openly expressed on the fox as he listened. Anger and disgust at the mention of Naraku. Understanding when she spoke of Sesshomaru. Compassion for Miroku and Sango. Small hints of anger when she talked about Inuyasha at some points, while others he seemed to be respect for his strength and power, when he won against strong opponents. A low growl would sound in his chest, when she mentioned Koga and his outspoken words of confession when calling her 'His woman'. She also enjoyed his tail swaying in satisfaction when she would talk about how they escaped Naraku's plots and traps.

Time seem to fly by as she talked to him about everything. All too quickly the sun set, taking with it the light of the day, and ink covered the sky, turning it dark. Several hours past that point, she was finally coming to an end in her story…

_The battlefield was a bloody mess, and she looked no different. She was covered in scraps, cuts, and her outfit was torn in so many places she could feel the chill of the air blow across her skin. _

_Looking at the only jewel shard held within her hand, she started to question if it was even worth it. Glancing back up, she saw all her friends battling for their life, yet one in particular caught her attention. Sesshomaru was attacking Naraku with all he had, yet he was unable to break the barrier that surrounded the powerful half demon._

_She reached behind her and pulled out one of her arrows. Looking at the shard she wondered if she was going crazy- If this didn't work- She shook her head from any doubt and slapped the jewel onto the arrow head, taking aim._

"While he was distracted, I let loose my attack…"

_The arrow zoomed through the area, only to slam into the barrier with a thunderous clash of power. The bubble around the demon cracked, before it burst. The arrow continued onto its target even after it destroyed the barrier, and it pierced the demons chest. In a blinding light, a horrible screech of pain was heard throughout the area, before everything went calm. She looked on as Naraku disintegrated into nothing._

"He was purified to the point of no return…"

_As the lower demons ran away, their leader defeated, the others cheered in joy and happiness. She slowly walked up to the completed jewel. Looking upon its blackened aura, she realized that Naraku tainted energy still effected it._

"That wasn't much to worry about; after all, I just needed to touch it to purify it." If only that was true…

_Yet once she touched the cursed jewel, a spark erupted from the gem, because of their clashing powers. She hissed as the several lighting bolts burst out of the jewel and snaked its way around her entire body. Encasing her in pain like she never experienced before-_

"The darkness was going to consume me." She looked down and shivered. That feeling is something she will never forget. "Then a voice called to me."

"_Make a wish. If it is pure, the jewel shall be cleansed." A soothing voice spoke to her._

"A wish? What could I possible wish for?" A sad smile appeared on her face as she looked down at her hands.

"_I wish…" Her body started to glow white, and her mind went blank…_

_Kagome woke up with a start, covered in sweat._

"_Kagome!" Shippo's small voice squeaked out. "Everyone! Kagome is awake!" He yelled. Soon, thumps of rushed foot falls where heard and some of her friends ran into the room. _

"_Are you feeling alright Lady Kagome?" Miroku was the first to arrive, soon followed by Sango._

"_You've been asleep for days" Inuyasha barked out. _

"_Don't yell at my woman, Dog breath." Followed by Koga._

_Sesshomaru was the last to arrive, for he was walking in a calm manner, at his own pace. He did not speak, and chose to observe from the back of the room._

"_I'm fine." She tried to tell them._

"_What happened anyway Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. "You touched the jewel and all hell broke loose. Then suddenly there was a light and you passed out."_

"_Nice speech mutt, but she already knows that, she was there."_

"_Shut up Wolf!" Inuyasha growled._

"_I made a wish…" She told them. Hearing her words they all looked towards her._

"But I soon started to have regrets…"

_She sat inside of the hut, while the others were also inside the small building. Inuyasha had just announced his plans for the future… With Kikyo._

_She looked down sadly as stab of pain went going through her chest, but she quickly put on a forced smile._

"_That's wonderful. I wish you two the best."_

"She was now of flesh and blood. Our souls were linked. As long as one is alive, the other shall be too…" Hearing a small growl come from the demon sitting beside her, she gave a soft smile, patting his shoulder in reassurance. "It was a long time ago…"

"But he-" She shook her head.

"It was his choice, as long as he was happy, I would be happy for him."

"Kagome…" He whispered. He then sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "If that is what you wanted to do…"

"I was given a choice." She told him. "And I chose to keep the burden to myself." She sighed and looked at the ground.

"_I will give you a choice, Kagome." The soothing voice whispered to her. "You can keep the jewel, protect it with your life for as long as it is needed to be-" She paused. "Or you can allow another the responsibility for its care" She told her._

"_Who would have it…?" She let her question fade, unsure. "Kikyo?" She whispered, as if distressed by the thought._

"_It is a high possibility." She spoke. "If not, it will have to be reborn into another's body, like it was with you."_

"_So it's either me, Kikyo, or some innocent bystander?" She questioned. When she did not receive a response she looked down in regret._

"_I will give you some time to decide…" Was her only answer, before she slowly opened her eyes, and was harshly greeted by the blindly rays of the sun. _

"…" She looked down sadly. She started to fidget in her seat, once again wondering if she made the right choice.

To give such a burden to an innocent person would tear at her conscience. So, it was now her burden to carry, alone. For her sacrifice, the jewel granted her longevity, yet that was more of a punishment then a gift.

She decided to stay in the past, for she lived longer then her human family could, and watching them grow old and die, would be cause to much pain…

"_Kagome, what are you going to do now?" His boyish eyes sparked with unshed tears, fearing the worst. Fearing she will go home, back to her time, and never see them again._

"_I believe I am going to stay here." She smiled. Some of the people around the room became less tense once they heard her words._

"_Really?" He gasped, and his tail wagged back and forth in joy._

"_Really really." She giggled and patted him on the head._

Yet even that was a bad choice, for her human friends started to grow old, and she could only watch as they died of old age- She nibbled on her lower lip as the image of Sango and Miroku flashed in her mind. They happily got married, had three children, yet time flew by and they got older, until they passed on. Rin too- Though Sesshomaru did not show anything on the outside, she knew he was hurting because of it.

After watching Sango and Miroku's family grow old, only to pass before her eyes, she couldn't take it any longer, and left. She wondered alone, until she met Sesshomaru…

"_You are still weak, I see."_

"_I can do pretty well on my own…" _

"_Oh?" He questioned. "Then I must have been mistaken when I witnessed you struggle with that demon…"_

"_Well…" A small blush came onto her cheeks. "What do you suggest?" She asked._

"_Learn to control your abilities." He stated. "Only able to channel your powers if you are using a bow is a huge weakness…"_

"_I guess you have me there…" She sighed. He turned around and started to walk away. Out of reflex she followed him. After a few quiet moments he spoke._

"_I will allow you to accompany me for a short time- but do not think this is permanent." _

"_Of course not…" She smiled at him. "Master." _

"…" _His expression softened and a small smile appeared on his face._

"After the barrier was put into place, I continued to stay with Sesshomaru…" At least then I didn't have to watch my friends die around me…

"But the jewel was more of a burden then I could have imagined." She looked down in regret. "The jewel brings nothing but pain everywhere I go." She started to wiggle in her spot, remembering. "Just walking around was a task, for demons would surround me and try to take the jewel, but I could not let them have it. It was my duty to protect it with my life-"

_Once again she returned to Sesshomaru's castle, beaten and bruised, half dead…_

"I trained and trained until my body became more suitable to defend itself, but that just brought more challenges to me…" She nibbled on her lip once again. "More powerful and cunning demons showed up. They did anything they could to get the jewel."

_Suddenly the doors to Sesshomaru's office burst open, revealing and familiar face, yet he looked discouraged. He was out of breath and covered in sweat._

"_Shippo? What are you doing here?" She questioned while sitting in of the chairs, reading a book. Sesshomaru also paused in his paperwork, looking at him._

"_Someone took Kaji!" He announced in distress. _

"_What!" She screeched. _

"Kaji was Shippo's only son, but because of the jewel he was taken." She sighed. They were able to save him before anything bad happened, but it could have been worse…

"_Kagome, this is Suru, she will be helping you with your paperwork and daily duties." Kage told her, while motioning towards the lovely female demon standing beside him._

"_Ah, so I finally get some help? That's great!" She smiled. All the things she had to do around the castle was started to get to her, she needed some help, and Sesshomaru probably saw that-_

"_It is a pleasure to work with you, Lady Kagome." _

_Kagome then smiled, and started to pull the woman around the castle, giving her a grand tour. It was nice having another woman around…_

"But that too was a trap to get the jewel…"

"_Suru, what are you doing?" Kagome yelled at her after walking into the room, spotting her red-handed._

_The woman just smirked and jumped out of the window, jewel in hand._

"_I thought we were friends- I-" Tears filled her eyes and a ball of energy appeared in her hand. She too, jumped out of the window, and easily caught up to her-_

"Because of my duty to the jewel, I was forced to kill her…" She turned her head away, as if in shame. "The jewel comes first, before all else, even my life." She spoke. "That is how I have lived, and that is how it will always be." Tears of regret started to form in her eyes. "I am living this empty life, where all my actions are controlled by the jewel." She gave a small whimper. "Who can or cannot be my friend. Who might want the jewel, or wont. What choice is best for the jewels safety."

The burden of carrying such a tremendous weight had started to take its toll on her…

"I couldn't even be with my family…" She missed them so much-

Feeling a soft touch on her cheek, she took her gaze away from the ground and looked into his golden orbs. She was surprised to see the compassion and worry hidden within his once serious and piercing eyes.

He tried to wipe away her tears with his hand, while gently caressing her cheek in a calming manner. His efforts were in vain for they were quickly replaced with new ones, and he was soon overwhelmed, the warming liquid going over his fingers. She looked down, as a sense of emptiness and sorrow started to seep into her conscience. Her shoulders shuddered slightly and she wept in response.

She suddenly flung herself forward, and wrapped her arms around his neck. His body instantly tensed, but then quickly relaxed. He reached up and started to rub her back while running his other hand through her hair. She buried her face into his neck, and allowed her cries to escape her trembling lips.

Realizing his efforts were not helping, he tried to make her more comfortable, and gently picked her up, placing her onto his lap. The movement caused her to release her hold from around his neck, and instead clinched his shirt while nuzzling her nose into his chest.

He continued to stroke her raven locks, while whispering soothing words to her. A soft and comforting rumble erupted from his body, surrounding her frame. Yet she continued to weep, soaking his once dry and warm shirt in her tears. She clamped her eyes shut, and started to shiver uncontrollably. He hugged her softly, and pulled her closer to him.

"I just want to be free." She mumbled into his chest, while gently shaking her head side to side in regret. "Free from the pain. Free from the jewel…" She wrapped her arms around his body, and buried her face deeper into his chest. His scent evaded her senses, slowly putting her mind at ease while filling it with the image of wild roses. "I want to live my life without worry or regret, put the past behind me, yet I can't…" She gave a soft whimper, and he replied to her plea by softly whispering warming words into her hair.

To live her life to the fullest without questioning her actions. To have a caring husband, and loving family. She would have been happy- She would have been better off without the jewel- Why did she have to accept the reasonability and care for it? Why did she have to be its protector? Why didn't she just let it go, and give the burden to someone else?

"If only I was selfish…"

"Then we wouldn't have met." His deep and calming voice enclosed around her, sending a soothing feeling through her. "If you did not choose this path, we would have never met, and I would have lost the opportunity to hold you in my arms." His hug around her tightened, and a pleased growl released from his chest.

"Yoko…" A small smile crept its way into her sad expression, and she sighed, feeling comforted by his words.

He was right. She lived a long life, and had many friends. She was surrounded by people who cared about her, and people who looked to her for guidance. Her tense muscles relaxed, and she withdrew her arms from around Yoko's body, placing her hands against his chest. She took a deep breath, and soon. The calming rhythm of his heart started to drum in her ears. She raised one of her hands and gently placed it overtop of his heart, feeling the soothing thumps against it.

She felt a soft hand glide up her cheek. The contact made her open her eyes, only to see that her vision was burry and unrecognizable. She had to blink several times, before it started to return to normal-

"Your tears have stopped…" He whispered. "That's good…" He sighed in relief, and continued to gently caress her cheek with his knuckles. She slowly snuggled closer to him, and tucked her head underneath his chin. She too sighed, feeling relaxed within his strong hold.

She nuzzled her nose into his neck, allowing more of his scent to overpower her thoughts. Her mind soon became blank, and all she could think about was the fox who was kind enough to comfort her-

"Yoko…" She purred his name, earning a small chuckle from the pleased demon.

"Kagome…" He whispered, lowed his head and rubbing his cheek softly against hers.

He placed his nose near her neck as well, and then took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. He sighed in satisfaction, and his deep growl surrounded her fame. She slowly raised her hand, and pressed it against his cheek.

She then caressed it softly with her knuckles, finding his skin to be smooth and warm to the touch. His golden orbs stayed locked onto her deep blue pools, even as her hand moved up and onto his ear. She gave a small laugh as it twitched under her touch. His expression softened, and a smile appeared on his handsome face. He hummed in delight, but it soon turned into a purr of pleasure and he closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle treatment she was giving his ear.

She finally released her hold on his ear, and lowered her hand back on to his chest. She smiled to herself as she felt the calming thumps of his rhythm heart once again. She rested her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling safe. The sound of his deep breathing and the pounding of his heart against his chest soothed her. She let out a long sigh, before allowing her body to completely relax in his arms.

His lovely scent filled her nose. His strong arms made her feel safe, and his deep voice quelled her rampant mind.

"Thank you…" She softly spoke out, barely above a whisper.

All too quickly, her thoughts went completely still, and she was lulled into a deep sleep…

Yoko sat on a branch, deep in thought. He couldn't get his mind off of what transpired just a few hours ago. He heard the trouble and the hardships Kagome had to go through in her past, and it bothered him, yet it didn't upset him as much as what happened afterwards.

She told him about how much pain she was truly in, because of the jewel…

He raised his clawed hand, and rubbed his face in frustration. Her saddened expression worried him, but then when her tears started to fall out of her deep blue pools, it made his heart stop beating.

It took a while, but he was finally able to calm her down, and she fell asleep in his arms. He sighed, remembering how he picked her up and placed her back into her bed, inside her room. After that he had spent hours in this tree, just thinking.

It pained him to see her that way, and he didn't know why. His chest tightened and he looked down, as if expecting to see something causing the pain.

"_I was given a choice." She told him. "And I chose to keep the burden to myself." _

Another twinge of pain hit his chest, and he raised his hand once again, placing it over his heart.

"_But I soon started to have regrets…"_

He looked at the ground and sighed. She was in so much pain- Could he do nothing to ease it? He questioned.

He was Yoko Kurama, and yet he felt pity, wishing to help her. How _could _he help her? Glancing at his clawed hand, his mind was once again filled with unanswered questions. He spent all night questioning himself, yet he was unable to settle on any answers…

"_I just want to be free." _

Was there a way to free her?

"_The jewel brings nothing but pain everywhere I go." _

"The jewel…" He whispered.

"_To be free from the pain."_

He looked down sadly. There had to be a way-

"_To be free from the jewel…" _

"The jewel…" He spoke his thoughts, finding that it led to the jewel yet again.

What if he took the jewel? He questioned. Immediately he shook his head, knowing it was an idiotic idea. The answer wouldn't be that simple- besides; he had been trying to steal the jewel the whole time. How would this time make it any different? He would just fail again.

"Wait-!" He sat up straight, a serious look on his face.

"_I also noticed you are not wearing the jewel…" He told her while looking around. His gaze locked onto the jewel that was resting on her dresser, next to the roses he gave her so long ago. _

The jewel was back on her dresser, no longer on her person. He could easily take it if he caught her out of the room- He quickly looked to the side, seeing that the sun was just starting to ascend over the horizon. He smirked at his luck and hopped off the branch. She should be busy with her morning routine, and that should buy him some time-

With that thought in mind, he quickly ran towards the castle…

Looking at his target, as it rested peacefully on the expensive wooden furniture, he started to get nervous. Watching it gleam happily as the rays of the sun slowly crept its way into the window, reflecting off its beautiful surface. Slowly, he reached out, bent on taking his prize. The moment his fingers touched the surface he flinched away, as if burnt.

He sighed, wondering why he was acting this way. He shook his head and this time, without hesitation, he grabbed the jewel. He looked down at the treasure as it lay motionless in his palm. He watched as the sun's light continued to dance across its wondrous surface.

He was having a hard time convincing himself to take it-

He resisted the urge to snort at the idea. He was Yoko Kurama, the greatest thief known in the demon world-

"Besides…" He whispered. "It was for Kagome…" Yes. He was going to steal this jewel, for her…

For some reason, it didn't bother him that he was going to steal it, if it made her happy…

"Kagome…" He whispered her name, his eyes fogging over in thought.

Without a doubt she was one of the most alluring and exciting females he had ever met. He smiled, remembering all the times she rejected his charm and stepped over his wit. A warming feeling started to surround his body as he thought about all the times she laughed and how her smile always made him feel relaxed.

Her voice was soothing to his ears, and her personally had its own charm at times. She could always make him laugh when she was happy, and make him worry when she was upset. She had a big heart, and cared deeply for those around her. Without him even realizing it, she lured him in and melted his once cold exterior…

He sighed, wondering how such a spirited woman could be shackled by something so small. He growled, already knowing the answer.

"The jewel is nothing but trouble." His eyes hardened, staring at the cursed jewel.

It attracted demons from all around, because of its power. The thought of power and abilities far beyond imagination would entice anyone into approaching, no matter the risk.

"Something like this should never fall into the wrong hands." He spoke his thoughts. "And it shouldn't have been given to someone so pure like Kagome either." He growled, showing his distaste for the dreaded object in his hand. "She didn't deserve it." To be forced to carry all the weight by herself…

"_Hello Yoko." She greeted, a small smile on her face._

She was always so perplexing to him. She was kind, and did not kill him when she realized he was trying to steal the jewel.

_A loud crack echoed throughout the calm forest._

_"Don't touch me, you damned fox." She huffed._

Then again, she could be quite feisty when angered. He reached up rubbing his cheek, remembering all the times she slapped him.

"_Ah-Ha! Checkmate!" She exclaimed, while placing her stone onto the board._

"_This is not chess, Kagome." He stated, though he tried not to laugh at her happy outburst._

He chuckled as the image came back into his mind. She was very good at Go as well.

"_Because." She paused and looked at him with a happy expression. "We are friends."_

Though they were few, her words meant a great deal to him…

"_I am living this empty life, where all my actions are controlled by the jewel." _

"No." He whispered.

"_The jewel comes first, before all else, even my life." She spoke. "That is how I have lived, and that is how it will always be." _

"Not anymore." He stated, clenching the jewel within his hand.

A soft click behind him made his ears perk up in alert. He cursed in his mind, realizing it was the door. He quickly turned around and ran across the room, then leaped out of the window. He continued to run at full speed across the field, before leaping over the gate wall, and landing softly on the other side. Though he made it safely to the forest, he kept on running, knowing that he needed to get as far away as possible…

"Kagome, you won't suffer anymore." He vowed.

His heart thumped loudly in his ears, as the image of Kagome's smiling face appeared in his mind…

"I'll set you free, I promise…"

Kagome slowly walked down the hallway, finally finished with her morning duties. A happy expression was on her face as she held her necklace, looking at it carefully. The blue gem sparkled with life, and she couldn't help but find it relaxing. She finally released it, allowing it to drop to its rightful place below her collarbone.

Last night, she confessed to Yoko about her past and the jewel. For some reason, she was glad that he knew. The fact that he knew made her feel at ease.

The image of said fox appeared in her mind, making her cheeks flush a rosy color.

"Today is going to be a good day…" She whispered. "I can feel it."

Another smile appeared on her face and she reached out, turning the knob to her room. Suddenly a shock to her senses spiked, showing something was wrong. She slammed the door open, only to catch a glimpse of a blur jumping out of the window. Instincts kicked in and she immediately looked towards the dresser, not seeing the jewel. She cursed in her mind and ran towards the window.

She stretched her hand out in front of her, and a bow materialized in her hand, made out of pink energy, miko energy. She raised her other hand to the string, about to pull back, when suddenly the thief scaled the wall in one leap.

"Damn, his fast…" She cursed again and jumped onto the windowsill. She quickly jumped up, and went from window to window, before jumping onto the roof. "He won't escape now…"

She got into her stance and grabbed the string. Pulling back, an arrow materialized as well, and she took careful aim. She focused onto her target and- Her eyes widened, seeing a familiar sliver flash in her vision.

"No…" She whispered. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart stopped beating. "Not you…" She looked upon his retreating back in regret.

"…" She continued to focus on him, her grip on the string tightened. "Please." She begged. "Please stop." Her hand trembled slightly. "Please…" Yet she knew he would not hear her.

_"You're quite delicious looking when you're angry." He complimented her, while giving her a sly smirk. _

"Don't…" Her voice cracked slightly, wondering why fate could be so cruel to her. Why him? Why-? "Stop…" She pleaded.

"_You like science?" She asked._

"_It has intrigued me, yet I still don't believe that humans were able to go to the moon. It's just not possible."_

"_A skeptic I see…" She laughed._

"I can't…" She bit her lower lip.

He was sly…

"_Do not deny yourself from your true desires. You know you want me." _

"_You just keep believing that." _

"_Your words cut like daggers piercing my heart." He frowned, placing his hand on his chest, over his heart._

"Stop…" She whispered. Tears started to fill her eyes as images and memories flooded her thoughts.

He was smart and cunning…

"_Your tears have stopped…" He whispered. "That's good…" He sighed in relief, and continued to gently caress her cheek with his knuckles. _

"Stop…" She begged. Her chest started to feel constricted, her body going cold.

He was kind…

"_If you did not choose this path, we would have never met, and I would have lost the opportunity to hold you in my arms." His hug around her tightened._

"Goodbye, Yoko…" She whispered into the wind. A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she released her arrow.

He was my friend…

_Fin~_

_**IMPORTANT STORY NOTE:**_ Okay, that was kind of a sad ending, but before you guys start writing hate mail to me, I wanted to let you all know that this is not the end. There _**WILL **_be a _**SEQUEL**_, and it will be Kurama/Kagome. It will be called "**Hello, My Love**" so keep a look out for it to be submitted soon. Don't hate me…

Please Review and tell me your thoughts on my story, and if you liked it or not. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to send a PM or write it in a review, I'll be more then happy enough to answer it for you.

Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did creating it.

ShadowFoxMoon


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